MY SAVIOR

“The Son of Man has come to search out

 and save what was lost.” —Luke 19:10

Although God is omnipotent and almighty, He rebukes us gently, little by little, so that we may be able to bear it and be encouraged by His mercy to grow in faith, obedience, and holiness.

Thus, Jesus stayed with sinners. He came to seek and save sinners (Lk 19:10). Even at the end of His life, Jesus was crucified between two sinners (Lk 23:33). He was made to be sin, as it were, for those who need salvation from sin (2 Cor 5:21). Sinners at least are in the position to eventually know they need Jesus (see Lk 18:9ff). Self-righteous people don’t think they need Jesus. They are in danger of becoming, in effect, their own gods and not realizing they are in need of a Savior.

We need to realize that we cannot save ourselves (Ps 49:8; Is 26:18). We are less than “a drop of morning dew” (Wis 11:22). Once we know that our salvation is in God and in Him alone, we then know that we cannot stand before God on our own. God is far greater than the universe, and we are so small before Him. We need a Savior. The Good News is that we have a Savior! (Acts 4:12) Accept Jesus, “the Savior of the world” (Jn 4:42). 

CLOUD-PIERCING PRAYER-POWER

“The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds.” —Sirach 35:17

Are you in a fog? Is your mind cloudy and confused? Do you feel as if there’s heavy cloud-cover when you pray? Even if you are praying in the clouds, you can pierce the clouds, come out of the fog, and come into the light when you:

• serve God (Sir 35:16). Rejoice to be a slave of Jesus (Col 3:24) — to do His will, not yours.
• serve God willingly (Sir 35:16). Go beyond Sunday obligation and a minimalist, mediocre Christianity. “Everyone must give according to what he has inwardly decided; not sadly, not grudgingly, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7).
• become lowly (Sir 35:17). Repent of pharisaic arrogance (Lk 18:11), beat your breast, and pray: “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (Lk 18:13).

The lowly, willing servant of God has a love for God and a faith in Him that can shake and transform the world. The prayer of a servant of God “is powerful indeed” (Jas 5:16). Decide to become a lowly, willing servant of God. Pray with Mary: “I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you say” (Lk 1:38).

WORLD WORD-WAR

“As long as Moses kept his hands raised up,

Israel had the better of the fight.” —Exodus 17:11

We are in a war against demons (Eph 6:12). As the Church, we are attacking the gates of hell which cannot prevail against us (Mt 16:18). By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are claiming Jesus’ victory over Satan and applying it to our lives and our world.

Our sword is the Spirit using God’s Word (Eph 6:17) and helping us to pray in our weakness (Rm 8:26). Therefore, “preach the word, [staying] with this task whether convenient or inconvenient” (2 Tm 4:2). Also, accompany the proclamation of God’s Word by praying as Moses did (Ex 17:11-13). “At every opportunity pray in the Spirit, using prayers and petitions of every sort. Pray constantly and attentively for all in the holy company” (Eph 6:18). Pray with and for the ministry of God’s Word. “Pray for us that the word of the Lord may make progress and be hailed by many others, even as it has been by you” (2 Thes 3:1). Pray “that God may put His word” on our lips that we “may have courage to proclaim it as” we ought (Eph 6:19, 20).

On this World Mission Sunday, fight in the power of the Spirit the world war of words — words of witnessing, preaching, teaching, and praying.