Truth for Life - July 26, 2016
July 26
With Princes
. . . To make them sit with princes. - Psalms 113:8
Our spiritual privileges are of the highest order. "With princes" is the place of select society. "Indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ."1 There is no more select society than this! "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation."2 ". . . to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven."3
The saints have direct and immediate access: Princes are admitted to royalty when common people must stand afar off. The child of God has free access to the inner courts of heaven. "For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father."4 "Let us then with confidence draw near," says the apostle, "to the throne of grace."5
Among princes there is abundant wealth, but what is the abundance of princes compared with the riches of believers? For "all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's."6 "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"7 Princes have peculiar power. A prince of heaven's empire has great influence: He wields a scepter in his own domain; he sits upon Jesus' throne, for "You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."8 We reign over the united kingdom of time and eternity.
Princes, again, have special honor. We may look down upon all earthborn dignity from the eminence upon which grace has placed us. For what is human grandeur to this: "[He] raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus"?9 We share the honor of Christ, and compared with this, earthly splendors are not worth a thought. Communion with Jesus is a richer gem than ever glittered in a royal crown. Union with the Lord is an emblem of beauty outshining all the blaze of imperial pomp.
1) 1 John 1:3 2) 1 Peter 2:9
3) Hebrews 12:23 4) Ephesians 2:18
5) Hebrews 4:16 6) 1 Corinthians 3:22-23
7) Romans 8:32 8) Revelation 5:10
9) Ephesians 2:6
Family Bible reading plan
verse 1 Jeremiah 22
verse 2 Mark 8
Intentional: Evangelism That Takes People to Jesus
If we’re honest, none of us find evangelism easy. We’re told that we should do it; we might know that we should be doing it, but the reality is often too scary. Paul Williams is realistic about our fear and guilt, but with gentleness he shows us that the key to banishing our fear isn’t complex and clever answers, but rather to take our friends to the person of Jesus. He gives practical examples of how to naturally and thoughtfully share how Jesus answers, and is the answer, to commonly asked questions. Paul Williams also shares how this simple model has led to greater confidence and joy in his own evangelism. This can be our joy too!
Click here to learn more about Truth For Life
From Morning & Evening revised and edited by Alistair Begg copyright © 2003. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org.
