DRAWING NEAR
January 9
Living Out Your Royal Heritage
"In love [God] predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus
Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will"
(Eph. 1:4-5).
Because God loves you He adopted you as His child, and grants you all
the rights and privileges of family membership.
Moses told Israel that God didn't choose them because of their great
numbers or any inherent goodness on their part, but as an expression
of God's sovereign will and sacrificial love (Deut. 7:7-8). That's
true of you as well if you're a Christian.
The Greek word translated "love" in Ephesians 1:4 speaks not of
emotional or sentimental love but of love that seeks God's best for
others at any cost. It is marked by sacrifice rather than selfishness
--giving rather than receiving. It seeks to forgive rather than
condemn--to dismiss offenses rather than count them.
Such love is epitomized in God Himself, who loved you so much that He
sacrificed His Son on your behalf, who willingly laid down His own
life for you (John 3:16; 15:13).
While false gods are worshiped out of fear and ignorance, the true
God--your Heavenly Father--has eliminated all fear so that you can
confidently enter into His presence (Heb. 10:19; 1 John 4:18). You
have received a spirit of adoption and can address Him as "Abba!
Father!" (Rom. 8:15), the Aramaic equivalent of Daddy or Papa.
Your Heavenly Father delights in your praise and glories in your
obedience. Be a faithful child. Make this day count for Him. Live out
your royal heritage. Seek His wisdom in all you do. Go to His Word
and follow its counsel. Demonstrate His love to others in practical
ways.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Thank God for granting you the privilege of being a member of His
family.
Thank Him for the many manifestations of His love that you enjoy
each day.
Ask Him to lead you to someone to whom you can demonstrate His love
in a practical and sacrificial way.
For Further Study:
Read 1 Corinthians 13.
List the characteristics of godly love.
How does the quality of your love for others compare to God's
standard? What steps can you take today to bring your love into
greater conformity to His?
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Deuteronomy 7:7-8 (NKJV)
7 The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you
were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of
all peoples;
8 but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath
which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a
mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the
hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting
life.
John 15:13
13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life
for his friends.
Hebrews 10:19
19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the
blood of Jesus
1 John 4:18
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear,
because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made
perfect in love.
Romans 8:15
15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but
you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba,
Father."
1 Corinthians 13
13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have
not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all
mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I
could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I
give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not
parade itself, is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked,
thinks no evil;
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures
all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will
fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is
knowledge, it will vanish away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in
part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child,
I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish
things.
12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I
know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of
these is love.
~~~
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
letters@gty.org
NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.
In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
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To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
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