Master's Prayer Network

Comments: To be called a child of God is truly a great demonstration of the Lord’s love for us because we cannot bring about our own new birth, just as we did not bring about our birth in the flesh. “Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3 AKJV).

Paul wrote this in 2 Timothy “1:9 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,” We need to be called by God since all people have by nature been separated by sin that is inherited from Adam the progenitor of all people, at the beginning in the Garden of Eden. Romans “5:12 Therefore, as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned.” God then provided a way by grace through faith in Christ Jesus to have our broken relationship with our creator restored. Romans “5:21 that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The “world,” or those who have not experienced the second birth and are still part of the fallen world system, cannot understand who we are in Christ because the world continues to reject him and his truth. We are children of God by his love, but there is even more in store for us that will be revealed as we become like him when we see Jesus because he will allow us to see that which cannot presently be seen by us. John says that while we wait for that indescribable time with hope secured by Christ Jesus, we must determine to purify ourselves as he is pure. Just as our Lord secures the hope of what is to come, only his power working in us will enable us to purify ourselves as we yield our will to his will, as found in the Word.

Comments: The devil appeared in the garden to deceive Adam who then took the lawless course of eating the forbidden fruit. Christ then appeared to destroy the works of the devil by the redemption he made available through his substitutionary sacrifice. The grace and mercy of our Lord to forgive our sin should become more precious as we meditate on this truth. Psalms “103:8-14 Yahweh is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness. He will not always accuse; neither will he stay angry forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us for our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Like a father has compassion on his children, so Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him. For he knows how we are made. He remembers that we are dust.”

All people who live are descendents of Adam, and our bodies are appointed to return to dust, so in that sense all are already dead (under God’s sentence of death) unless they receive the gift of new life. Ephesians “2:1-5 You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience; among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),”

Comments: What an incredible truth to ponder, that being born of God, we have the seed (or the blood line of God) within our self! That seed remains in us forever, even after the body of flesh withers away. That seed will bring about within us the desire for the milk of the Word of God whereby we will grow more like Christ, and we will love those who also have that seed. 1 Peter “1:22-2:3 Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently: having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.”

The apostle Paul advises us in this manner, because there is a struggle involved in loving our brothers and sisters in Christ, and in avoiding the temptations to sin. Galatians “5:16-17 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire.” Cain offered his own form of sacrifice to God and it was rejected because he did not do what was right, then he followed the rebellion of the Devil as he killed his brother Abel. John warns Christians that there should be no surprise if those who are still of the world through rejection of Christ, demonstrate hate against those who openly love God.

John heard these words directly from the Lord Jesus, John “15:19-20 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.’”

Comments: John tells us that we have passed from death (that is impending death) to an irrevocable promise of life when we place our trust in Christ. We can see from scripture that all mankind is under the sentence of death, but the gift of eternal life is made possible through Christ. Genesis “2:17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it; for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die.” Adam and Eve did disobey, and through them physical death surely awaits everyone who is born. Paul speaks of death by one, and life by one. Romans “5:16-17 The gift is not as through one who sinned: for the judgment came by one to condemnation, but the free gift came of many trespasses to justification. For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; so much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.”

We also have these words from Jesus in John “5:24-29 Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” The Lord will respond to a request by faith because of his great mercy and for his own sake so all glory goes to him! David made this entreaty based on the faithfulness of the Lord. Psalms “25:7 Don’t remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, for your goodness’ sake, Yahweh.” Centuries later the prophet wrote this truth about the LORD God. Isaiah “43:25 I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.”

The book of Acts gives us documentation of the fact that Christ Jesus destroyed the power of sin, that those who believe may be justified before God. Acts “13:38-39 Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins, and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.”