September 24
Blessed Redeemer, Hallowed be Thy Name, how Excellent, how Wonderful Thou are. Blessed be Thy Name both now and forever more.
Thank You for the gift of Your Son through whom we are accepted into Thy kingdom. What more can we say let all Honour, Adoration be ascribe to Him Alone Whom is worthy of our praise.
For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son to come and die for you and I to make heaven. Our Lord Jesus, though equal with God do not hold tight to His right but give it up for you and I to be begotten of the Father also.
We are beloved of the Father and thus accepted to Him. Fear not but come before His throne with boldness. He is full of mercy and compassionate, He will surely answer you. Let all glory and honour be unto His Holy Name. Amen!
Are you in doubt if you are accepted in the Lord? Are you troubled whether He is able to do all that concerns you? Come away, dearly beloved and meditated therein on the message below:
“Accepted in the beloved.” Ephesians 1:6
What a state of privilege! It includes our justification before God, but the term acceptance” in the Greek means more than that. It signifies that we are the objects of divine complacence, nay, even of divine delight. How marvellous that we, worms, mortals, sinners, should be the objects of divine love! But it is only “in the beloved.” Some Christians seem to be accepted in their own experience, at least, that is their apprehension. When their spirit is lively, and their hopes bright, they think God accepts them, for they feel so high, so heavenly-minded, so drawn above the earth!
But when their souls cleave to the dust, they are the victims of the fear that they are no longer accepted. If they could but see that all their high joys do not exalt them, and all their low despondencies do not really depress them in their Father’s sight, but that they stand accepted in One who never alters, in One who is always the beloved of God, always perfect, always without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, how much happier they would be, and how much more they would honour the Saviour! Rejoice then, believer, in this: thou art accepted “in the beloved.”
Thou lookest within, and thou sayest, “There is nothing acceptable here!” But look at Christ, and see if there is not everything acceptable there. Thy sins trouble thee; but God has cast thy sins behind His back, and thou art accepted in the Righteous One. Thou hast to fight with corruption, and to wrestle with temptation, but thou art already accepted in Him who has overcome the powers of evil. The devil tempts thee; be of good cheer, he cannot destroy thee, for thou art accepted in Him who has broken Satan’s head.
Know by full assurance thy glorious standing. Even glorified souls are not more accepted than thou art. They are only accepted in heaven “in the beloved,” and thou art even now accepted in Christ after the same manner.
There at times in life we must need our faith higher to receive from the Lord, (Rom 12:6b), we need a booster that will take us from where we are to where or what God has in stock for us (Mk 9:24). Have you ever find yourself in a situation like that? When you resign to faith to get you to where you are going. There is only one person who can get it done even when you don’t know how? Am sure your guess is good as mine (Rom 10:12-13), just know you are accepted in Christ.
“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe.” Mark 9:23
A certain man had a demoniac son, who was afflicted with a dumb spirit. The father, having seen the futility of the endeavours of the disciples to heal his child, had little or no faith in Christ, and therefore, when he was bidden to bring his son to Him, he said to Jesus, “If Thou cast do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.” Now there was an “if” in the question, but the poor trembling father had put the “if” in the wrong place: Jesus Christ, therefore, without commanding him to retract the “if,” kindly puts it in its legitimate position.
“Nay, verily,” He seemed to say, “there should be no ‘if’ about My power, nor concerning My willingness, the ‘if’ lies somewhere else.” “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” The man’s trust was strengthened, he offered a humble prayer for an increase of faith, and instantly Jesus spoke the word, and the devil was cast out, with an injunction never to return.
There is a lesson here which we need to learn. We, like this man, often see that there is an “if” somewhere, but we are perpetually blundering by putting it in the wrong place. “If” Jesus can help me—”if” He can give me grace to overcome temptation—”if” He can give me pardon—”if” He can make me successful?
Nay, “if” you can believe, He both can and will. You have misplaced your “if.” If you can confidently trust, even as all things are possible to Christ, so shall all things be possible to you.
Faith standeth in God’s power, and is robed in God’s majesty; it weareth the royal apparel, and rideth on the King’s horse, for it is the grace which the King delighteth to honour. Girding itself with the glorious might of the all-working Spirit, it becomes, in the omnipotence of God, mighty to do, to dare, and to suffer.
All things, without limit, are possible to him that believeth. My soul, canst thou believe thy Lord right away?
Beloved, what are you believing God for today? By the power in the name of Jesus receive it right away in Jesus name. (Ps138:8) Amen! Therefore life up your hands and bless the Lord for it is done Amen! (Ps134:2)
Remain blessed in the Lord.
Evang. Ifeoma Ohondu
