God's grace + human faith = victorious life

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching the blog archives for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first post, dated November 12, 2008, where I introduce myself and the blog. As you read, I encourage you to record any reflections or comments you may have, for the entries here serve best as the first remarks in a conversation.

Blessings and best wishes,
Dr. Will

Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Devotions: Ps 45, 47, 48; Eccles 2:16-26; Gal 1:18-2:10; Mt 13:53-58

My heart praises the Eternal King: fairest Son of man, graced by the Father: gird on your sword, Mighty One, and ride forth in glory and majesty. Defend truth and the right; may all Your enemies fall before You! Your throne endures forever; You love righteousness and hate wickedness, and so Your God has anointed you above all others. The church is Your bride; let her forsake all others and cleave to You alone. Let every generation praise and honor our Lord! Let all peoples applaud and shout to God with songs of joy. YHWH is terrible, King over all creation. Let us sing God’s praise; He reigns over all the nations. Great is YHWH and greatly to be praised. His earthly throne is on Zion, the holy mountain. YHWH, we have pondered on Your holy love, and we exalt Your name, our God forever and ever.

For both wise man and fool, there is no enduring remembrance—both die and fade from memory. I hated life, because it seemed futile—I must leave all I have and have done to someone else, and who knows how he will administer my former possessions? Facing this vanity, I turned and gave my heart up to despair: what can one keep from all the toil and strain of this life? Our days are painful and vexed. But to those who please Him, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; and to the sinner, God gives the work of gathering and building up only to give it all to one who better pleases God. All this is vanity, striving after wind!

Paul continues his brief memoir: When I first came to the Lord, I first retired to Arabia, then returned to Damascus. After three years, I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days. I also met James, the Lord’s brother—but none of the other apostles. Then, I went into Syria and Cilicia; I was still not known by sight to the churches in Judea—they only heard that I, who once persecuted them, was now preaching the faith I once sought to destroy. And they glorified God because of me. After 14 years, I went up again to Jerusalem, with Barnabas and Titus, in response to revelation. I laid before the leaders there the gospel I have preached among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not in error, running in vain. Thought Titus is Greek, he was not compelled to be circumcised. But some false brothers slipped in to spy on our freedom in the Messiah Jesus, seeking to bring us into bondage. We did not yield to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be protected for all believers. Those reputed to be greatest in the church had nothing to add to my gospel; in fact, they affirmed that I was God’s emissary to the Gentiles, as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised. The same Spirit is working in both of us. James, Peter and John, those held in highest esteem in the Jerusalem church, when they perceived the grace that God has given to me, gave the right hand of fellowship to me and to Barnabas. They affirmed that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the Jews; they urged us to remember the poor—the very thing I was already eager to do.

Jesus finished His teaching by parables, and returned to His home territory, and taught in the synagogue at Nazareth. His hearers were astonished: ‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Isn’t he the carpenter’s son? Isn’t Mary his mother? Are James and Joseph and Simon and Judas his brothers? Don’t we know all his sisters? Where did he get all this?’ And they took offense. Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and his own household.’ And Jesus didn’t do many might works in Nazareth, because of their unbelief.