Devotion – Page 327 – Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church

Romans 5:11, Reestablishing Personal Relations with My Maker

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 3 December, 2015 Posted in Devotions Tagged with Devotion, Book of Romans, 3 December 2015

As I reflect upon my life before becoming a Christian and after, I felt a sense of relief. God had not left me an orphan but through His Son brought me back to Him. Christianity is a relationship. A relationship between God and man. A familial relationship. Sin is a broken relationship. Jesus Christ solved my sin problem when He shed His blood upon the cross to wash away my sins and died to carry the weight of all my sins. Three days later, He rose from the dead conquering sin and death on my behalf.

I saw my neighbour going to work. I understood he is not a believer. I saw that life for him seemed to have a sense of accomplishment. After struggling hard at work, he now has financial stability. But I could see a sense of emptiness in his life because there is still something greatly missing. I felt that lack in my heart acutely before I became a Christian.

Romans 5:11, Finding True Joy in God

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 2 December, 2015 Posted in Devotions Tagged with Devotion, Book of Romans, 4 December 2015

The sixth blessing of being a child of God is joy in God. It describes an attitude of confidence in God, to rejoice in, glory in, boast in the stability of life with God. The psalmist testified of this joy in God as he made God the centre of his devotion:

Psalm 16:5-11 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. 6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. 7 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. 8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Life with God dispels fear and anxiety. We can trust in His care, provision and protection. When we look are unable to rejoice in our circumstances, we can rejoice in the Lord under those circumstances. We can rest in His love and meditate upon His goodness. It brings strength to our soul.

Romans 5:10, Assurance of God’s Preservation

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 1 December, 2015 Posted in Devotions Tagged with Devotion, Book of Romans, 1 December 2015

The fifth blessing of being a child of God is God’s preservation in this present life and forevermore (v10b). After Christ’s resurrection from the dead, He appeared to His disciples for 40 days before He ascended to heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father. In heaven, Christ function as Intercessor.

Romans 5:9, Greatness of God’s Love

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 30 November, 2015 Posted in Devotions Tagged with 30 November 2015, Devotion, Book of Romans

We are saved by Christ’s blood, shed to wash away our sins (v9). We are saved by Christ’s resurrection, giving us eternal life (v10). We are saved by God’s grace, Christ’s great sacrifice on our behalf (v15). We are saved by the gift of righteousness, freely available to us through Christ (v17).

How can we ever repay Christ for the price paid to save us? We can never do so! This is the message of God’s love enacted by Christ. The Apostle Paul described the greatness of this love by Christ’s humility – the willingness to yield and do the Father’s will.

Romans 5:7-8, Sparing a Pol Pot?

By Rev Lek Aik Wee Posted on 29 November, 2015 Posted in Devotions Tagged with Devotion, Book of Romans, 29 November 2015

The sacrifice of Christ on the cross surpassed all human reasoning and leads us to understand the truth that God loves us. For a man to sacrifice himself to save good men and righteous men is understandable. But for Christ to sacrifice Himself for criminals like the thief that was hung on the cross beside Him is difficult to comprehend. He deserved to be punished for the crime that he committed.

Romans 5:6, Thank You, Lord

By Rev Lek Aik Wee Posted on 28 November, 2015 Posted in Devotions Tagged with Devotion, Book of Romans, 29 November 2015

What a statement of truth in demonstration of God’s love. Indeed, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17)

God loved us while we were “yet without strength”, while we were in a hopeless condition of moral weakness and helpless. While we were plagued by the deadly disease of sin, God intervened in our lives to show us a way out. The emphasis of the text is in the personal pronoun “we”. It is repeated twice in the original Greek text to show our helpless, hopeless and lost condition. If God had not sent His Son, Jesus Christ, godless men would have been consigned to the fires of hell for all eternity. We, indeed, need to be thankful for this salvation in Christ!

Romans 5:5, Maturing and Matured Faith

By Rev Lek Aik Wee Posted on 27 November, 2015 Posted in Devotions Tagged with Devotion, Book of Romans, 27 November 2015

The believer who trusted in the faithfulness and goodness of God and experienced it, has an experiential knowledge of God. He gains confidence and hope in God. He knows God does not disappoint. He will trust God and call upon Him, making it a life long habit. He moves from a maturing to a matured faith. We can always hope in God all the days of our life and experienced His care and protection.

Romans 5:3-4, Out of Them All the Lord Delivered Me

By Rev Lek Aik Wee Posted on 26 November, 2015 Posted in Devotions Tagged with Book of Romans, 26 November 2015, Devotion

When God sends us affliction, He also supplies us His grace to bear under it. The test is to keep faith and trust God. To keep praying and leaning upon His promises. It is a time where virtue in the believer’s life is formed. The strength to endure and not give up comes from God. He supplies the strength. We tarry with Him. Deliverance will surely come! And we learn that we are not alone in our affliction. God is with us.

There is a spiritual strength that subsist in affliction. A strength that comes from within. This word “experience” means “to be approved”. When we keep walking with God, He sees us through that affliction. We can understand in our heart that God is working in and through us. And we experience victory with Christ. Victory to overcome sin, to say “no” to temptation, to live a holy life, to keep faith before God and man. And experience gives us hope, a boldness to keep trusting God and experiencing His grace in our lives.

Romans 5:3, Tribulation Produces Steadfast Endurance

By Rev Lek Aik Wee Posted on 25 November, 2015 Posted in Devotions Tagged with Devotion, Book of Romans, 25 November 2015

In the Christian’s life, we are to expect tribulation. Troubles, sufferings, tears, affliction and distress are a part of this earthly life. We cannot avoid it. It is allowed by God in His sovereign will to mould us that it may bring forth godly virtues.

One of the fruits of tribulation is that it produces this spiritual fruit called patience. Tribulation builds Christian character. We do not welcome tribulation, humanly speaking. As we think of the emotion, mental, physical suffering that it brings, often we shudder. We look at the life of those who went through tribulation, we acknowledge it is tough going.

Romans 5:3, Glory in Tribulation

By Rev Lek Aik Wee Posted on 24 November, 2015 Posted in Devotions Tagged with Devotion, Book of Romans, 24 November 2015

The four blessing of being a child of God is that we can face trials in life with courage and strength. Be assured that we are not struggling alone but God is with us.

Jesus gave these words of encouragement to His disciples before He went to the cross in John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

The word “tribulation” means “being pressed to a breaking point”. The trials in the believer’s life can be so overwhelming, but Jesus assured His disciples to take courage and be confident and rest in the truth that He is with them to help them overcome and have victory.

Tag: Devotion