God’s Character Revealed

God’s Character Revealed -Today’s Devotional – November 14, 2023

As the pastor began the sermon on God’s love for the rebellious, he reminded us of how God reveals His love to humanity. I paused the video to pray a prayer of repentance. We do not live our lives according to the love, grace, and mercies we receive every day. Unless we pray for wisdom from the Holy Spirit, we will never understand the magnitude of God’s tender heart for those created in His image.

We live in an era where the Biblical truth is not the standard for the absolute truth. The following two paragraphs are an excerpt on the Post-modern Christian movement.

“Post-modern Christianity falls into line with basic post-modernist thinking. It is about experience over reason, subjectivity over objectivity, spirituality over religion, images over words, outward over inward. For example, because experience is valued more highly than reason, truth becomes relative.

“This opens up all kinds of problems, as this lessens the standard that the Bible contains absolute truth, and even disqualifies biblical truth as being absolute in many cases. If the Bible is not our source of absolute truth and personal experience is allowed to define and interpret what truth actually is, a saving faith in Jesus Christ is rendered meaningless.”

“…knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” —2 Peter 1:20-21

Since humanity was created, we have questioned the love of God and challenged His Sovereignty, so it is not surprising that we have elevated ourselves to place our experience over the absolute truth of the Holy Scriptures. God is fully aware of every anti-movement before it comes to fruition. And because He is the definition of love, the Triune God had the Plan of Redemption in place before the creation of the world.

The sequence: Adam and Eve are created, they receive the gift of a perfect home in the Garden of Eden, and enjoy the privilege of face-to-face communion with Jesus. Eve is dissatisfied and challenges God’s Sovereignty, Adam’s loyalty is to his wife instead of God, and disobedience prevails leading to the Fall of Man.

Adam and Eve lose their immortality and the Divine Covering of light resulting in the first death of animals to clothe the fallen couple. Adam and Eve are expelled from their home and animal sacrifice begins for the forgiveness of sin as the type for Christ [foreshadowing Jesus who is the antitype or fulfillment].

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” —John 3:16

Without spiritual wisdom and discernment from the Holy Spirit, we will never comprehend the magnitude of God’s love. What type of love is this? To give Your only Son for human beings who are living according to theoretical concepts they have developed.

“What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” —Psalm 8:4

The sacrificial offering of Jesus on Calvary’s cross offers us Agape Love, Grace, Mercy, Salvation, Redemption, Justification, Reconciliation, and the lifelong journey of Sanctification. Because of the suffering, shame, and spilling of Jesus’ blood, we are recipients of gifts that we are unworthy to receive.

Yes, the Perfect, Sinless, Righteous Lamb of God paid our sin debt setting us free from the bondage of a carnal heart always driven to fulfill its desires that oppose the perfect will of God. Christ’s sacrificial offering of His life freed us from the death penalty that sin demands.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God…” —Ephesians 2:8

God reached down to sinful humanity by giving His Son, Jesus Christ for the propitiation of our sins [Jesus satisfies the justice of God]. From God’s heart flows never-ending grace and mercies for the righteous. We are the privileged and highly favored recipients of God’s attention and His love. “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know’ ” (Jeremiah 33:3).

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” —John 14:1-3

Jesus has revealed God’s future plans for the righteous who strive to live a sanctified life. And lest we forget, John’s vision of the Heavenly City and the New Heaven and New Earth are described in Revelation chapters 21 and 22. Although we live in a world bombarded by degradation and unbelief in God, we still have the blessed hope that one day all sin and sorrow will be eradicated. Amen.

As our Heavenly Intercessor, Jesus continues His servitude to humanity. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” —Hebrews 4:16

“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—He will testify about Me.” —John 15:26

Our prayers of confession and repentance and cries for help are expedited by the Holy Spirit who intercedes for us because we do not know what to pray for. The Holy Spirit teaches us, imparts wisdom and discernment while studying the Scriptures guides us in our decision-making comforts us in times of grief and discouragement, and alerts us when exposed to false teachings and philosophies.

The Holy Spirit breathes into us the Divine strength to overcome temptation and to guide us in our activities of daily living. We are empowered with the ability to relinquish the stronghold of hereditary tendencies, learned behaviors, and sinful habits. Our journey of Sanctification—being transformed into the likeness of Christ’s Character is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” —2 Corinthians 5:17

Listen to the testimony of a former addict who accepted Christ as their personal Savior about the supernatural strength they received to let go of the sinful habits that held them in chains for most of their lives. Their desire to be free led to an endless cycle of living clean only to relapse leaving them in a state of hopelessness. They will tell you about God’s amazing grace that removed the carnal taste for alcohol, drugs, pornography, and other sinful behaviors.

Yes, they freely share their testimony filled with gratitude for the powerful love of God and how His transforming power cleansed them from all unrighteousness. The world labels those who are living a clean and sober life as recovering, yet, Jesus proclaims that their faith has made them whole and they are covered by His righteousness. God never leaves residual that has to be cleaned up by human effort, former behaviors, and habits are washed clean by the blood of Jesus.

Psalm 91: The righteous have guardian angels fighting our battles of spiritual warfare and constantly protecting us from seen and unseen danger every second of the day or night.

Now it is our turn to reveal the daily sacrifice we will make to God for being designated as the benefactors of His love and amazing grace.

“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” —Philippians 2:8

Our hearts are the only gifts that are acceptable as a sacrifice to God. Unless we are praying the prayer of surrender and asking the Holy Spirit to guide, direct, and anoint us with power, wisdom, and discernment, we are not sacrificing anything to God. The choice to surrender—to consecrate and dedicate oneself to faithfully obey God is only understood by those with converted hearts who seek the will of God and abide in Christ.

God has a remnant, they are the faithful ones who not only understand the depth of God’s love [as far as the human mind can extend] but also express their love to God through daily surrender and obedience. Every day the faithful consecrate their hearts [minds, bodies, and souls] to Christ. Yes, they diligently pray for wisdom and strength from the Holy Spirit because they believe Jesus when He said, “…without me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

With gratitude, they send up many prayers for the Divine Help to stay on the Path of Righteousness. It is not a secret, that the remnant have a personal agenda, to live forever in the New Heaven and the New Earth with their Lord and Savior, King Jesus. And we are willing to do anything for God, even unto death, because we have given Him the only sacrifice that God accepts, our hearts.

Prayer: God, we repent for not appreciating Your love, grace, and mercies. We pray for the strength to put our desires aside and dedicate ourselves to following You in our earthly journey. In Jesus’ Worthy Name, we pray. Amen.

© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries