Justification like sanctification is a gift of grace. The former is God’s gift of grace to the unsaved sinner and the latter is God’s gift of grace to the saved saint. Both are accessed by faith, as demonstrated throughout Scripture.

It was the constraining love of Christ that motivated Paul to proclaim the gospel of God and present the glory of the Christian faith to the people of his day. Paul needed these believers to understand the nature of the New Covenant. An unbeliever cannot earn his salvation through works of the Law, nor can a Christian live a God-honouring life through deeds of the flesh. We are saved by faith and not by works of the flesh… and we must walk by faith and not by sight.

Faith is believing all God has said in His Word – first, for our justification and then, for living a sanctified life. Faith is accepting scriptural truth as a firm fact. Faith is having the assurance that what we hope for in Christ will certainly come to pass. Indeed, without faith it is impossible to please God.

The Christian life of faith appears to be a paradox, for it seems to fly in the face of logical thinking. Instead of earning salvation by merit or by working hard to gain it.. we can only receive it as a free gift of God’s grace. And having been saved by grace through faith, we are to die to self, and everything that focusses on ME, in order to live for God.

Walking by faith in this life, means we are to rely completely on all that God has said in His Word. The life of faith filters our thoughts; actions; attitudes and words through the holy Scriptures, as we listen to the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit; follow His directions and trust in the Lord with all our heart.

We are saved by grace through faith in Christ and we are to walk by faith and not by sight. Nor are we to live by trusting in what we imagine or what we feel. But sadly, many Christians are diverted away from this path of faith to living by sight; by signs; by senses and emotions; by imagination – by feelings; by worldly philosophies or extra-biblical revelations – especially when they see life’s stormy seas and the mountains of difficult circumstances rising up to block their path.

However, the man or woman that lives by faith as well as being saved by faith accepts the truth that God uses all the storms and problems of life, as well as times of great joy and rejoicing, to remove all the pride and selfishness of our old sin nature, as He gently conforms our new life, us into the beautiful image of the lovely Lord Jesus.

The man or woman who lives by faith uses life’s stumbling-blocks as stepping stones. Faith allows obstacles to be changed into opportunities and wounds that are inflicted, become a witness to the generous grace He pours out into our lives in great abundance. When we live by faith we remain in fellowship with the Lord and can become healing balm and a godly comfort in the lives of others, who are facing similar difficulties.

Living by faith frequently contrasts the visible unreality of this fake, false and failing world, with the invisible reality of true; glorious; eternal; heavenly things, that are our promised inheritance, in Christ.

Happy is the one that understands that faith is not only required for salvation but is the necessary ingredient to live a victorious Christian life. Living by faith simply means that we trust completely… all that God has said in His Word.

Loving Father, thank You for my great salvation. I pray that You would help me walk by faith, to live by faith, to pray in faith and to trust all that is written in Your Word of truth – by faith. I pray that I may die to myself and my own abilities and rest entirely on You and Your sufficient grace in all I say and do – this I ask in Jesus’ name, AMEN.

When John was caught up into the throne-room of heaven, He saw a document sealed with 7 seals, in the hand of the Ancient of Days. It could only be opened by the Lamb on the throne. Only the slain Lamb of God was worthy to break the seals and open the scroll. He alone is worthy to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

The content of any sealed scroll is un-alterable.. but this scroll was sealed before the foundation of the world, waiting for the One with the authority to break the first seal. God used the apostle John to be an eye-witness to the events in Revelation and he recorded the moment when the Lamb broke the first, of the seven seals… “and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come.”

Chapter 6, begins with the opening of the first seal of the seven-sealed scroll, triggering an unstoppable process, whereby Christ is revealed in all His power and glory, as the wrath of God begins to be poured out on a God-hating, Christ-rejecting, anti-Semitic, sinful world.

The Body of Christ are not present during the tribulation, for the Church is removed at the rapture – just prior to the 7-year tribulation, for we are not appointed to wrath. Christ took the punishment we deserve at Calvary, when the full force of God’s wrath was poured out on Him – in our stead.

God, in His sovereign authority, designed the tribulation period to humble the proud nation of Israel, who rejected their Messiah at His first advent. Its function is to prepare God’s chosen people to embrace their Messiah and crown Him King; to call on His name for salvation; to preach the gospel of the Kingdom throughout the earth; to unite the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah and to fulfil God’s precious promises to His chosen nation.

Rejecting their Messiah may have postponed God’s plans for His people – for 2000 years, but God’s redemptive plans will not be halted by His petulant people. And God has determined that they would complete all that He has planned for them to do and all that is prophesied in His word. It is only when Israel, as a NATION calls on the name of the Lord, that Christ will return to set up His Millennial Kingdom of heaven on earth.. in preparation for His eternal rule in the ages to come.

While individual Jews can believe on His name and trust Him for their salvation, Jesus warned His rebellions nations, “you will not see Me again until You cry, ‘Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord”. This will only happen at the end of the Great Tribulation, when the entire NATION calls on the name of the Lord… but first, the wrath of God is to be poured out on His rebellions people and an unbelieving world.

Breaking the first of the seven seals will irreversibly set in motion the final 7 years of Daniel’s 70th week – a period of unprecedented misery, which concludes with 1260 days – ‘the Time of Jacob’s trouble. And John recorded his heavenly vision for our learning… “Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come”

For those who already have trusted in Christ – Jew and Gentile alike, His first advent has already secured forgiveness of sin and life everlasting. Those who have believed on Him are not appointed to go through this time of tribulation. However, for those who continue to reject His first coming and delay trusting in Him during the dispensation of Grace.. will have to experience the final, terrible week of Daniel.

John watched as the Lamb broke one of the seven seals and He heard the thunderous voice of one of the four living creatures declaring, “COME”. This is the time that Michael the archangel will stand up and fight for God’s people. This is the time that Satan will be cast down to the earth. This is the beginning of the dreadful ‘Day of the Lord’… which must start with judgement for sinners but concludes with the eternal ages.

This is the point when John was commanded to Come. Come and See the rider, on the first of four, terrible horses. This is the first horseman to gallop onto the world scene, who will deceive mankind with the pretense of peace. This is the instant that will usher in an unprecedented time of evil, “such that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world – and will never happen again”.

This evil rider John saw, on a white horse, enters the scene as a charismatic, conquering hero. He wears on his head a victor’s crown and comes in the power of Satan. He represents the antichrist, described by Daniel – but following in his wake is war, devastation, disaster, disease, and death.

Some are deceived into thinking that this is the true Messiah… but he is nothing more than the evil imposter, who has been prophesied of old … for JESUS is the faithful and true Witness. HE will also be riding a white horse but He will be wearing a kingly crown – and many royal diadems – and the… the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our God and of His Christ – and He will reign forever and ever.

Heavenly Father, thank You for opening up my understanding of the 70th week of Daniel and for giving us the wonderful Revelation of Jesus Christ – the slain Lamb of God, Who is worthy to break the seven seals and bring to completion the evil rule of Satan. Thank You that the Lord Jesus is the righteous Judge of the earth as well as the coming King of kings and our heavenly High Priest. As we draw closer to the day when Your kingdom comes and Your will is carried out on earth, I pray that many more would come to faith in Jesus as Messiah and Lord – This I ask in His precious name AMEN.

There is no standing still in the Christian life. Either one is growing in grace and drawing closer to the Lord in humbleness of spirit and obedience to God’s word OR one starts to regress into spiritual infancy through unbelief, disobedience, and fleshly carnality. We are either spiritual Christians, who are maturing in the faith OR we are carnal believers whose spiritual growth is being stunted. Israel gives us a stark reminder that disobedience has devastating consequences.

Our position in Christ is eternally secure, and the privileges we have received by faith will never be taken from us, and can never be lost, or negated. However, terrible consequences accompany the unfaithful servant who lives for himself and not for the Lord. Fellowship with the Father is broken; future rewards can be forfeited; spiritual growth is stunted and instead of having a victorious Christian walk, through His sufficient grace, we are defeated in the race of life.

As one reads through the weighty prophecies of Isaiah there is no denying that God’s covenanted people were spiritually barren and deserved punishment. Moses had warned them centuries before that rebellion and apostasy would result in judgement falling on the Nation, while faithfulness would result in blessing.. and the first section of Isaiah’s writings make it clear that the nation was ripe for judgement.

Isaiah was tasked with telling them that because of their apostasy, Israel would be punished. The old order would pass away and a new order was to be brought in. The covenant Israel broke would be replaced with a New and better Covenant. A NEW order was to replace the old.

The first 39 chapters of Isaiah prophesy of God’s judgement on Gentile nations in general, and Judah and Jerusalem in particular. Although there are little glimpses of coming glory and future blessings strewn throughout this section, the certainty of chastening and punishment threads its way through the entire document.

From chapter 40, we have a section that speaks of coming comfort and the deliverance, restoration, peace, and pardon for God’s people. It gives assurances that the Gentile nations, whom God would use as a chastening rod to punish His people and a battering ram to humble them, would themselves feel the full force of God’s wrath on their heads, because of their evil ways.

And although Isaiah prophesied that a righteous Ruler would arise as the nation’s sin-bearer and sacrifice… Who would be their Redeemer and Restorer, Israel had to understand that their punishment was due to their apostasy… and the reason for the coming blessings and future glory for a faithful remnant was because of God’s mercy and grace. “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.”

Israel had to understand that sin separates sinful man from a holy God. Sin is an abomination to the Lord, and every sin must be punished. God could not overlook the iniquity of His people, and Israel’s wickedness had built an immovable barrier between the Nation and their God. So great was their sin that the Lord hid His face from His people, and did not hear.

Man tries to belittle sin, but sin is an abomination to the Lord. Sin was the cause of Christ’s death on the cross as the sacrifice for sin. God will not tolerate sin and ALL sin must be punished. While individuals who believed God, in Isaiah’s day, were credited with righteousness, and all Church age believers are saved by grace through faith in Christ’s sacrificial work, the entire, apostate nation had to be judged for their collective sin.

Faith in Christ alone is the reason we are forgiven, because the wrath of God was poured out on Him – instead of on us. He was punished for OUR sin. But those who have rejected God’s offer of salvation, Jew and Gentile alike, will have to face His wrath in the future. The wrath of God will be poured out during the great tribulation period and those who do not believe will be judged at the Great White Throne judgement of God. But the Lord remains faithful to the promises He made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David – and to US. NO CONDEMNATION to those in Christ.

Unsaved sinners are condemned, and our iniquity separates us from God until we are justified. As saved saints, there is no condemnation, BUT iniquity and sin causes a separation between God and a believer. While sin does not disconnect us from our justified status, it prevents us from enjoying close fellowship with the Lord. But when we confess our post-salvation sins, we are returned into fellowship with the Father.

Although there was still a tiny remnant of God-fearing men in Israel, it is sad to see the shocking collapse in the nation’s moral standards. Sadly, the nation did not mourn over their sin and apostasy, so God hid His face from His chosen people, and would not hear. They did not cease to be His people, through Whom God would fulfil many of His promises, but they had to be punished for their sin and chastened for their trespasses.

May we learn the lesson that Israel failed to learn – that God is good and faithful to keep His promises to us and demands that we are holy for HE is holy. May we never forget the high price God paid for our free gift of salvation – the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. May we never wander from the truth that it was only through faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross, is the wall of separation between us and God was removed.

May we also be mindful that it is only by ongoing faith in Him – living a life of faith and walking in spirit and truth, that we can enjoy ongoing fellowship with our heavenly Father – and Jesus Christ our God and Saviour.

Heavenly Father, what a comfort to know that the wall of separation between God and man was been broken down, through faith in Christ. I pray that I would walk in spirit and truth and confess any post-salvation sins quickly, so I may return into fellowship with You. Help me to more fully understand how abominable sin is.. and to eschew evil in and live holy in Your sight. Thank You that despite Israel’s unfaithfulness, YOU remain faithful to them. Open their eyes to see the truth, soften their hearts… and bring many to faith in Christ. And thank You for being my good and gracious God – in Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN.

In Christ, we have the confidence that God will confirm, strengthen and sustain each one of His children. We have a promise that He will keep us blameless in the day of Christ Jesus. This is a promise of God, which is given to all who have trusted Christ by grace through faith in His finished work at Calvary.

This is a promise from God, which does not depend on what we do for Him, but on what Christ has done for us. God in His grace has promised that He who started a good work in each of our lives… which was when we trusted His word and were born from above, is faithful to complete it in the day of Christ Jesus – simply because we believed His word.

Paul was able to share this truth with the Christians at Corinth, who… despite being endowed with many spiritual gifts, were lacking in true spirituality and Christian maturity. Despite being indwelled by the Holy Spirit of God, positioned in Christ and the recipients of the many blessings given to ALL believers, these Corinthian believers chose to live according to their fleshly lust and were not walking in spirit and truth.

Nevertheless, in God’s grace and mercy, these carnal Christians in Corinth were equally enriched in Christ… in speech and all knowledge. Paul taught that like all born-again believers, they would also be kept by the power of God, because He is faithful to keep His promises to His people, even when we are faithless towards Him. By His goodness and grace were are ALL sustained by God and we are ALL reckoned to be blameless, on the day Christ comes for His Church.

God is His grace has promised to sustain and establish all, who have put their trust in Him. He has committed to confirm us blameless… until the end. He has pledged to keep us from falling. God has promised to strengthen us and keep up – to uphold and support us until the time that Christ comes to take us to be with Himself.

God has promised to sustain us until the rapture, when Christ comes in the clouds for His Church. There will not be a split rapture, as some teach. The body of Christ will not be divided in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. “who will also confirm us to the end of the Church age. He will confirm us blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The One Who will sustain us to the end is God the Father, Who declares us free from guilt, the moment we were born-again. This tremendous promise rests solely on Christ’s perfect sacrifice – for we are accepted, by God, in the Beloved. We are identified with Him in His death and in His life – death to the old and His life in the new.

We are clothed by His Spirit with Christ’s perfect righteousness. God the Father will firmly, finally and fully establish the hope we have in the gospel of Christ, on the day of His return, so that we may be presented to Himself as His pure, spotless bride – a glorious church, without blot or wrinkle or any such thing. We are guiltless, by faith in Christ – not sinless, for all have sinned and fall short of His glory. But through identification with Christ, we are covered in His righteousness – “blameless in Christ”.

In one respect, the day of Christ is future… for when He comes in the clouds to take us to be with Himself, we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is. But in another aspect, we are being established amidst all the trials and difficulties of this present age (which are designed by the enemy to shake our faith), for the kingdom of heaven is within, as well as a future hope. We have the indwelling Spirit of God, establishing us in the path of His holiness and conforming us into the likeness of Christ – in every good work and in every good word.

Let us rejoice and be glad for this irrevocable confirmation is in His written Word, that He will sustain us to the end – guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the Father’s love and favour toward us, which forever establishes in our hearts the truth of the glorious gospel of Christ. And we have the permanency of the indwelling Spirit, Who has bestowed on us many wondrous privileges, that are ours in Christ Jesus our Lord.

He started a good work in us and planted an eternal seed of grace within each of our hearts, which will mature and produce fruit, more fruit and much fruit to His praise and glory, if we humbly submit to His leading and guidance in our lives.

Father God, I confess that I could not draw another breath without Your strength. Thank You that You have covered me with the robe of Christ’s righteousness, for His name’s sake and have promised to keep and sustain me through every season of my life… until I stand in His presence and am presented to You as blameless. Enable me to finish the work You have given me to do, for Your praise and glory, in Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN.

In her glorious song of praise to God for the great gift that lay hidden in her secret place, Mary celebrates the grace, mercy and faithfulness of God. She pronounced an eternal truth that rejoices all who seek after the Lord with a needy heart, in humility of spirit and a deep, hungering longing for Him.

The whole of mankind, whether they be rich or poor, sinner or saved – all rely upon God’s grace and bounty. Man cannot so much as draw a single breath, to either bless or curse the God Who made their mouth and knit them together in their mother’s womb. He alone upholds all creation by the word of His mighty power.

Once Mary has praised God for all that He has done for her and exalted Him because He is “God my Saviour”, she continues to glorify Him for His power and holiness, His mercy and compassion. It is in verse 53 that she gives praise to the Lord for His faithfulness to His people Israel and for changing their circumstances so radically – “He filled those who are hungry with good things,” she cried, “and those who are rich, He sent away empty”.

The attitudes of the poor and the rich are starkly contrasted. The hungry man is filled with good things, while the rich person is sent away with nothing. Years later the babe in her womb would pronounce the same vital principle, “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh”.

One person reaches out to his Lord in want and need, in humble dependency and childlike trust, and he is given God’s abundant supply – pressed down, shaken together and running over. The other approaches God with his own self-satisfied importance and foolish, prideful fancy – desiring even more of the trite baubles of worldly lust, which only sufficed the cravings of the flesh momentarily – and that one is sent away, quite empty.

Mary, like her favoured cousin Elisabeth, and Anna.. the aged, praying prophetess, had nurtured hearts that looked, and longed, for the consolation of Israel and they were heartily satisfied. But the greedy Herod and prideful Pharisees were left devoid of any tokens of God’s favour towards them.

They did not seek after godly righteousness and were deprived of the heavenly nourishment their souls truly needed. God does indeed fill the hungry, searching soul with good things. He prepares a table before those who trust Him, in the presence of their enemies.. but the rich, self-satisfied person, who desires to be master of his own life and destiny, He simply sends empty away.

Whatever the circumstances of our individual lives, whether we be rich or poor by worldly standards, let each of us come to the Lord, confessing our need of Him in all areas of our life. Let us follow Mary’s example by depending on Him to supply all our needs according to His riches in Christ – by putting faith into action.

Let us approach Him in humility of heart and poverty of spirit, for He has promised to fill all those that hunger for Him with good things, both in this life and in the age to come, while those that come to Him in selfish, self-satisfied pride and carnality of soul, will receive the bitter fruit of inner emptiness.

“Come to Me”, said the Lord Jesus, “and I Will give you rest. If anyone is hungry, he has an open invitation to come to JESUS, the bread of Life and be filled with good things.

Loving Father, increase my longing and desire for You, for I realise it is only as I seek You in poverty of spirit that my heart is fully satisfied. And Father, I trust You to supply all my temporal needs as well as my spiritual ones. Thank You for the godly examples of women like Anna, Elizabeth, and Mary, who relied on You and trusted Your word. May I become such an example to others during my time on earth – and so I pray in Jesus’ name, that You will create in me an ever-deeper, heart-longing for You This I ask in Jesus’ name, AMEN.

Many of the prophecies Ezekiel gave to Israel were delivered through mime or by means of play-acting. On one occasion Ezekiel wrote on a clay table and on another, he shaved his head. One prophecy was illustrated by baking his bread over dung, and another by lying on his side for an extended period of time. Other prophetic illustration included him packing his bags; quivering and shaking; preaching to the forest and refusing to mourn for the death of his wife.

In chapter 37, the prophet gives more revelation to Israel, from the Lord. The first is a vision of a valley, filled with dry bones, representing the dead nation of Israel being resurrected into new life, while the second prophecy is a symbolic act, where the prophet used two sticks to relay God’s message to His people. It spoke of the reunification of the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel.. into one, United Kingdom, under one sovereign king.

Following the reigns of David and Solomon, the single kingdom of Israel was divided into two camps. Those in the northern kingdom followed after Jereboam, an Ephraimite, who was one of Solomon’s former officials. They had their headquarters in Samaria and comprised of ten of the tribes of Israel. Those from the southern kingdom were led by Rehoboam – one of Solomon’s sons, who became king of Judah, in the south.

The southern kingdom kept their headquarters in Jerusalem and consisted of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and the half of the tribe of Ephraim. Individuals from other tribes, who preferred to worship at the Temple in Jerusalem, also aligned themselves with Judah, rather than using substitute places of worship, that were erected in Samaria.

The two kingdoms remained divided until the northern kingdom was enslaved and dispersed by the Assyrians, while the people of the southern kingdom were deported to Babylon, as punishment for their apostasy and idolatry. Sadly, both kingdoms had wandered far from the Lord and both had to be punished for their sin. Even to this day, Israel remains a divided kingdom, who are dead in their sin and estranged from the Lord.

Ezekiel was instructed by God, “take for yourself one stick and write on it, ‘For Judah and for the sons of Israel and his companions’. And take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, and his companions.’ – Then Ezekiel was instructed to, “join the sticks together into a single stick so that they become one stick in your hand.”

What a beautiful yet simple picture of the future restoration and reunification of the two divided and dispersed houses – Israel and Judah, into one, spiritually alive, united kingdom – with ONE fold with ONE Shepherd. What a straightforward illustration of a divided people being unified – The United Kingdom of Israel.. in preparation for their coming King and Messiah… Jesus, their God, their King, and their Redeemer.

For two thousand years, the divided nation of Israel has been blinded in part to the truth of the glorious gospel of grace. There are members of ‘The Circumcision” who have been born from above and have become part of the Church – “the One New Man in Christ”. But the majority of God’s chosen people are impervious to the truth and do not accept that their Messiah died on Calvary, two thousand years ago, and is risen from the grave, seated in heavenly places at the right hand of God the Father, and is coming again to rule and reign on the throne of his earthly father – David forever.

There are those that declare that God has finished with Israel and that the Church has taken over the promises that the Lord gave to His people Israel.. but that is a false gospel that contradicts scripture and is an abomination in the sight of the Lord. Today God is working through the Church – “spiritual Israel”, but the day is coming when He will once again work through His chosen nation – “the Israel of God”.

God is faithful and has not abandoned His people, even though Israel strayed into apostasy and idolatry, and the Lord will not abandon His Church. Thank GOD that our salvation and heavenly privileges, as well as Israel’s restoration, redemption, reunification, and earthly kingdom, stands fast on the word of God and not on our actions or attitudes.

Heavenly Father, You are a good and gracious God, Whose promises to Israel as well as to those in the Church, stand fast forever and ever. Thank You that Your faithful promises, to all Your people, are rooted and grounded on Your faithfulness and long-suffering mercy.. and do not rest on what we have done – or failed to do. We pray for Your people Israel, that many would come to recognise Jesus as Lord and their Messiah as Saviour, during this Church Age… and thank You that a day is coming when the dead bones of that nation will be resurrected into a United Kingdom of Israel – where Jesus reigns on David’s throne, as Lord and King. Thank You that I am a member of Christ’s body and pray that I would live and work for Your greater glory – this I ask in Jesus’ name, AMEN.