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1
Thessalonians 1:4 |
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Knowing, brethren
beloved, your election of God. |
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Your
election |
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Many persons want
to know their election before they look to Christ, but they cannot
learn it this way, it is only to be discovered by "looking
unto Jesus." If you desire to ascertain your own election;
after the following manner, shall you assure your heart before
God.
Do you feel yourself to be a lost, guilty sinner? go straightway
to the cross of Christ, and tell Jesus so, and tell him that you
have read in the Bible, "Him that cometh unto me, I will
in no wise cast out."
Tell him that he has said, "This is a faithful saying, and
worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners."
Look to Jesus and believe on him, and you shall make proof of
your election directly, for so surely as you believe, you are
elect. If you will give yourself wholly up to Christ and trust
him, then you are one of God's chosen ones; but if you stop and
say, "I want to know first whether I am elect,"
you do not know what you ask.
Go to Jesus, just as you are, as guilty as you are. Leave all
curious inquiry about election alone. Go straight to Christ and
hide in his wounds, and you shall know your election.
The assurance of the Holy Spirit shall be given to you, so that
you shall be able to say, "I know whom I have believed,
and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have
committed to him."
Christ was at the everlasting council: he can tell you whether you
were chosen or not; but you cannot find it out in any other way.
Go and put your trust in him, and his answer will be "I
have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with
loving-kindness have I drawn thee."
There will be no doubt about his having chosen you, when you have
chosen him. "Sons we are through God's election, Who in Jesus
Christ believe."
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Living
a Life of Conviction |
Reading: 1
Thessalonians 1:4-5a
For we know,
brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you, because our
gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power,
with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.
Everyone lives a
life of conviction. Whatever we give our greatest time, our
greatest energies, and our greatest resources to is a good
indication of where our convictions lie. Some live a life of
conviction about sports. Some live a life of conviction around
pleasure. Still others live a life of conviction about very little
that matters at all.
Whenever God chooses to do a deep work in a life, a strong
conviction is born of the Holy Spirit. Conversions in the early
Church resulted in changed lives that held to a deep,
life-transforming conviction regarding what they believed and how
they lived out that belief. Paul explains that the gospel they
received came not just in words, but also in power, with the Holy
Spirit and with deep conviction.
In order to impact the workplace for Jesus Christ, each of us must
be reflecting a faith that is demonstrated through deeply held
convictions.
Are you living a life of deep conviction that spurs you on to
reflect the power of Christ in your life and the lives of others?
Paul was willing to suffer great persecution for his faith in a
living God. God calls each of us to a life that is supernatural,
not simply a good, moral life. The early Church understood the
role the Holy Spirit played in demonstrating this power of the
gospel. It was this deep work that resulted in living the gospel
with great conviction. If you are not living the gospel with great
conviction, ask the Holy Spirit to so fill your life today that
the power of His Spirit is truly reflected in your life so that
you may impact others in your workplace.
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