Affirm Christ, and Live in Victory

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that label.

Thursday, February 5, 2009
Devotions: Ps 71, 74; Is 55:1-13; Gal 5:1-15; Mk 8:27-9:1

Lord, be my Rock of refuge; my trust is in You alone! Do not cast me off as I age; You are my Strength now, God! Put my enemies to shame and defeat; I will stand and boast in God alone. You have done great things, my God; none is like You. You increase my honor and comfort day by day. I will speak of Your goodness at every opportunity. Your enemies have razed Jerusalem time and again, yet she stands, by Your grace. Have regard for Your covenant, and keep the poor and needy from suffering. Arise, O God, and destroy Your enemies.

Let all who hunger and thirst come and be filled, by God’s generous goodness. Salvation is priceless, and free to those who accept it. God calls the Gentiles and Jews alike. Let us seek YHWH while He may be found; let us call on Him now, while He is near. Let the wicked and unrighteous turn. God’s thoughts and ways are infinitely higher than ours. He sends His word out, and it accomplishes God’s purposes and prospers His people. We go out in joy; we are led forth in peace; and the mountains, hills, and all nature praise God—an everlasting sign of His grace that will never be effaced!

Christ has freed us to live in liberty; don’t give in to the yoke of slavery, of legalism or works righteousness! Choose grace, and recall that Christ has fulfilled the law. In Him, faith works through love. Love your neighbor as yourself, and walk in freedom and peace!

Jesus asked His disciples how the people understood His identity. Some saw Jesus as John the Baptist or Elijah or another prophet. Peter answered for those who knew Him best: ‘You are the Messiah, God’s Anointed One.’ And Jesus charged them not to reveal this. He taught them that the Messiah must suffer many things; He would be rejected by the Jewish authorities; they would kill Him, but He would rise again on the third day. Peter sought to rebuke Jesus, but Jesus confronted His apostle: ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are on men’s side in this, not the side of God!’ He told all His followers: ‘If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. Whoever loses his life for My sake, will keep it; and whoever seeks to keep his life by denying Me, will lose it! Speak for Me now, and I will speak for you later; if you deny Me, I will deny You when I return in the glory of My Father, with His holy angels.’ He promised them that some who were in that very group would see the kingdom of God come with power. In a short time, that promise was fulfilled on the mount of His transfiguration.