Daily Grace Inspirations | 15 January 2022 | By Joseph Prince | Saturday Message
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Topic: What Produces Peace in Your Heart?
Scripture: . . . giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. – Colossians 1:12
Daily Grace Inspirations | 15 January 2022 | By Joseph Prince
Several years ago, I had the privilege of counseling one of my wife’s close friends. Wendy’s friend was a young Christian who attended another church. Over dinner, she shared that one of her spiritual leaders had told her that the Christian life was difficult, and that she had to suffer for the Lord and pay her dues. She was told that she had to work hard, pray hard, and make sure that she read the Bible every day so that God would be pleased with her.
Once she shared all that with us, I felt that it was my responsibility to tell her the good news. So I shared with her that we do not read the Bible because we want to qualify for God’s blessings. We read the Bible to find out about our blessings and inheritance in Christ.
See the difference? I told her that if I stopped reading the Bible for a few days, I should not be feeling guilty; I should be feeling hungry.
God is not pleased with us on the condition that we read the Bible, pray long prayers, and pay our dues. No, absolutely not! He is pleased with us because our trust is in Jesus, who qualified us.
The Bible never said that it is our works that qualify us. Today’s scripture says, “giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.”
It is the Father who has qualified us, and He qualified us by sending His Son to save us. He has qualified us to be partakers of His favor, healing, provision, love, joy, peace, and well-being. All these blessings are the inheritance of the saints, purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ. We partake of our inheritance by giving thanks to the Father for sending His Son.
I shared with this lady that she can wake up every day and say, “Father, I thank You that You have qualified me to walk in victory, healing, and supply.” I told her that she should not be racking her brains wondering what she must do to qualify for God’s goodness. His goodness is already hers!
There are too many teachings today telling believers what they must do to qualify for this and that. God’s way is for us to know that through Jesus, we are already qualified.
At the end of the dinner, I said, “Test whatever I have shared with you about the goodness of God, His grace, and Jesus’ work at the cross against what you have been taught. Which produces peace in your heart? Joy and peace are the trademarks of the kingdom of God. God is not the author of confusion.”
She reflected on what I had shared with her and said, “While I may not understand everything about Jesus because I am a baby Christian, I know that all you’ve shared has produced great peace and joy in my heart.”
Let me ask you the same question today: what produces more peace and joy in your heart—to know that God will never punish and condemn you again for your sins because Jesus has already been punished and condemned for you, or to hear that God is sometimes pleased but sometimes angry with you depending on how you perform?
Beloved, the answer is found in Jesus and His finished work. It is found in His grace, not in your own doing. By trying to qualify yourself today for God’s blessings with all your Bible reading, praying, and hard work, you are asking Him to assess and judge you according to your goodness and faithfulness.
Is that what you really want? If not, then begin to put your trust in the finished work of Christ today and enjoy peace, joy, and every blessing that flows from His unconditional love for you!
This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs.
If you or a loved one are facing a health issue, know that we are praying for you. We would also like to encourage you to read “How do I walk in faith and wisdom as I look to the Lord for healing?” to help you build your faith as you wait for your breakthrough.
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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version ®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.