Strong to the End

He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. – (1 Corinthians 1:8-9)

 

The promised strength and covering of Christ is given not because we are somehow “good enough“, but rather because He is faithful. As we choose to place our trust in Him, the Lord leads us out of our lives of sin, and looks at us through the lens of His Son. Though not one of us are blameless before Him, we are forgiven, and seen as spotless because of the sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf. More than that, we are welcomed into an eternal fellowship with Christ, from the moment we first believe. The Creator of all, whom we despised and rejected, now calls us His children; His friends. May we go forth in His strength, as we recognize the faithfulness of He who calls us His own.

 

Those who have answered,

we’ve been welcomed in;

Christ’s own fellowship,

those set free from sin.

He grants us His strength,

to stand strong in Him;

to remain blameless,

led by Christ within.

He calls us His own,

kids of Christ the King;

despite our failures,

to hope we may cling.

For what He’s promised,

will always be true;

the Lord is faithful,

what He says, He’ll do.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are faithful to Your promises, and You grant us strength and cover us, making us blameless before You. Thank You that You welcome us into fellowship with You and consider us Your own. Forgive us for not trusting You enough, or for doubting Your faithfulness. Teach us to trust You more, even when we see no evidence of Your presence. Make us strong and blameless before You, so that we may go forth in truth. Help us to live and love in such a way, that those around us see You clearly. May many come to know You as their Savior and King. Be glorified, O God, as we trust in Your faithfulness and follow You with all that we are. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us. – Psalm 67:1

Just Faith

Attempting to be right before God in our own strength, does not work.  Our very best intentions will never lead to justification, regardless of how hard we try on our own.  However, when we choose to live by faith, and place our trust in Him, we are counted righteous as He covers us with the mercy of His sacrifice made, and we are seen as spotless, shameless, and set free from sin.

“Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘The righteous will live by faith.” – (Galatians 3:11)

Even our faith is a gift that God gives.  We have the freedom to choose whether or not we are to embrace God and the glorious gifts that He has given; or not.  When we choose Him, He meets us where we are, grows our faith within us, and opens the eyes of our hearts to more clearly see who He is and what He has done for us.  As our understanding deepens, we cannot help but long to love more deeply, and serve more selflessly.  By His grace, we embrace our faith, and He deems us righteous before Him.

In our own strength,

no way justified;

only by grace,

we are sanctified.

It is by faith,

not by any law;

that we’re called right,

before Father God.

It is a gift,

for us to embrace;

may each heart know,

His unending grace.

Open our eyes,

to more clearly see;

Your righteousness,

that has set us free.

Dear Jesus, thank You for coming and taking our place on the cross, so that we can be called clean, justified before God, because of what You willingly did on our behalf.  Thank You that despite our best efforts, on our own we would never measure up – yet with You, by faith, we are considered righteous before God.  Forgive us for trying to justify ourselves with our “I’ll do better next time” or “I’ll never do that again“, and help us instead to confess to You, and rely on You to be our help and our hope, so that we will do better the next time we face a similar scenario – not because we are better, but because we are trusting You more.  Teach us how to rely on You completely in all things and at all times, and be our hope and our help, even when we can’t seem to see or hear You in the midst of the mess.  Thank You that You are always present, and always good.  Help us to love others as You love us, and may many come to know You through our loving kindness.   Be exalted in all that we say and do.  Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. – Galatians 5:22-23