Worship: For Heaven’s Sake
If you have been focusing on the pardon, but not on the power that comes from grace, then today’s broadcast was just for you.
Wellness: For Health’s Sake
Proper rest has health benefits that are not generally known. Today’s broadcast mentions some. For one, digestion can be improved with proper rest.
For Heaven’s Sake…
Many people believe that in Old Testament times salvation came by works and not by faith. But this is not what the Bible teaches.
Salvation is and always was by grace through faith that is shown by works of obedience. And when the New Testament describes righteousness by faith, Abraham is mentioned as an example (Hebrews 11:8-19).
In Genesis 12:1-3, God called Abraham (then called Abram) to leave his native country and go into a strange land to be blessed in a great way. He was promised that a great nation would come from him and that through him all families of the world would be blessed. At the time, there was no evidence of any kind that this could become a reality or even was a possibility. Yet, Abraham agreed to the terms as set forth by God. He left his home. He left his family, except of course his wife and nephew Lot, and departed for this new promised land. In other words, Abraham believed and obeyed. That is faith as shown by his works.
Galatians 3:7-9, 29, confirm that those in New Testament times who are children of faith are children of Abraham and are to be blessed according to the original promise. Verse 16, in particular, identifies the seed as Christ, through whom all the world would be blessed.
Grace is power to obey God. It is not pardon with permission to sin. Salvation is deliverance from the addictive behavior of lawbreaking. Faith without works is dead. As many of us know, this is emphasized by James in verses 17-26 of chapter 2.
God wants us to be heirs to His kingdom and not simply have temporary access as is given by a typical lease. God’s covenant, as is called the new covenant only because it was ratified by Jesus Christ on the cross, also has seven components as a typical real estate sales contract:
God made an agreement with Abraham through him all families of the earth would be blessed.
This agreement was initiated by a promise.
Obedience was required of Abraham in order to receive the promise.
Abraham received circumcision as a token of the covenant.
Abraham believed God and exercised faith as his method of obedience.
This covenant was ratified by His offspring, Jesus Christ, in AD 31, when Jesus died on the cross.
Read Genesis 17. It discusses the covenant as promised by God to Abraham. Genesis 26:5 states Abraham obeyed God’s voice and kept His charge, His commandments, His statutes, and His laws. Verse 8 of Galatians 3 lets us know that Abraham had received the gospel. Today, we who have also received the gospel receive His grace (power to obey) and must demonstrate that through obedience. Obedience shows our faith Jesus. Obedience shows we truly believe His Word. Obedience shows we are heirs to the promise.
For Health’s Sake…
When we get proper rest, our body is benefitted in a number of ways:
The immune system is recharged at night when we sleep.
The digestive system is re-energized. Digestive problems can occur from stress and a lack of proper rest.
Stress is greatly relieved.
The entire body is rested and rebuilds.
We need to go to sleep at 9:30 p.m. nightly, because our bodies are on a rhythm that requires regularity.
We need to sleep in a well-ventilated room. Our bodies need the negative ions, found in fresh air, which builds the immune system.
Taking the popular sleeping pills is not a recommendation of Times of Refreshing. Herbs good for pain are also excellent for restful sleep. Additionally, melatonin is recommended in a tincture or in a sublingual pill.
Finally, the last part of Psalm 121:2 comforts us with the promise that God “giveth His beloved sleep.”