majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him in Psalm 65:4,
"Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy
temple."
So, just who are those God chooses to bring near to live in his
courts? Does Scripture tell us? In the previous verse David says it is
those who, when overwhelmed by sins, were forgiven their
transgressions. Verse 3. In Romans 4:6-8, Paul quotes David from
another psalm, Psalm 32:1-2, "David says the same thing when he speaks
of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart
from works: 'Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose
sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never
count against him.'" There in Romans 4 Paul clearly says it is those
who embrace Jesus Christ in faith. Romans 4:16 tells us, "Therefore,
the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be
guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the
law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the
father of us all."
I am a firm believer in salvation by faith. Faith is the key that
unlocks the door of salvation. God has chosen that it will be all who
embrace him in faith, who trust in him, that he will bring near to
live in his courts! In the Romans 4:16 passage Paul tells us this is
the expression of God's grace that he has lavished on us: the promise
comes by faith!
As I consider all of the requirements God could have made of us to
become members of his family, I am overawed at the grace he has
extended us! Salvation is not for the most religious of us, it is not
for the best behaved, it is not for the most intelligent, the most
beautiful or the most charming. It is not for the most successful of
us or the richest or strongest of us. It is for all of us who will
embrace him in faith through the gospel message! As Paul tells us in
Romans 1:16-17, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the
power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the
Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God
is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just
as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"
Anyone and everyone has the opportunity to become a child of God if
they will but embrace him in faith. How wonderful the grace of God
that it is this he has based his choice of who it is he will "bring
near to live in your courts!"
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd
love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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