As we enter 2013 with a sense of great anticipation, I want to encourage all of our ministry supporters that I believe this year is a year of great favor, deliverance and breakthrough for your life. Many of you have supported us in different ways and we pray regularly for each of you, that God will bless you to overflowing with the blessing of God. I want to remind you today, that because of what Jesus did on the cross, it is a time of great favor for you!
The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 2:6-7 “As God’s co-workers, we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, today is the day of salvation.”
In this letter Paul was focussed on the matter of salvation as he addressed the Corinthians. He quotes this passage from the Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 62:2) to highlight the fact that for every believer, because of Christ’s finished work, we have all entered a new day. Because of this ‘now’ time anyone who comes to Jesus in faith, believing, will receive that wonderful gift of salvation. There is no limit to those who God can save!
Paul urged the Corinthians not to take the grace of God in vain; not to treat this wonderful gift of salvation lightly and that it was a now time for everyone of them. There are so many who treat the grace of God in vain, they reject the message of salvation and do not allow the Holy Spirit to transform their lives. I’m telling you, I believe that the only sin God cannot forgive is the rejection of His son and the message of the gospel.
As believers, all of us struggle with sin in it’s different forms, and God’s grace covers us and empowers us to live a life pleasing to God. We need to be reminded that God’s grace came at a tremendous cost, a tremendous price and it should never be taken lightly.
Paul here is saying, ‘be reconciled to God’ receive this gift because it’s a NOW time. As we enter into a New Year 2013, it’s good to be reminded that as believers we qualify for God’s blessing, favor and salvation! 2013 is a now time for you. I believe this passage applies to our eternal salvation, but I also believes it applies to every area of our lives.
As a ministry we have being experiencing unprecedented favor, and we have continued to see many swept in the Kingdom of God. Many of you have prayed for us faithfully and I’m under no illusion that it has been because of anything we have done. The Bible is clear, Jesus paid in full for us to walk in God’s favor and blessing.
Maybe today you are wondering where the blessing of God is in your life. I want to remind you afresh today, that because of what Jesus has done for you on the cross, now is the time of God’s favor for you. You may be wondering ‘how am I going to get out of this mess I’m in?’ Today I want to encourage you that today is the day of salvation for you!
Have you been struggling with some crippling illness or disease? I believe it is a day of salvation for you. Have you been struggling in the grip of addiction and sin? I believe it is a day of salvation for you. There is no sin to great for God to forgive, no sickness to great for God to heal!
Your circumstances may be saying no to you, but I believe God is saying YES! You are in a time of God’s favor. It is His time of salvation for you. All the promises of God are Yes and Amen for your life! (2 Cor 1:20)
As a ministry we go and share with as many as we can that Jesus saves! The motive of all ministry and the outreach of the gospel should be so that what Jesus did on the cross would no be in vain. The Moravians a powerful missions movement in the 18th Century were driven by this passion. I want to quote a passage which details the motivation of their first two missionaries:
“On October 8,1732, a Dutch ship left the Copenhagen harbor bound for the Danish West Indies. On board were the two first Moravian missionaries; John Leonard Dober, a potter, and David Nitschman, a carpenter. Both were skilled speakers and ready to sell themselves into slavery to reach the slaves of the West Indies. As the ship slipped away, they lifted up a cry that would one day become the rallying call for all Moravian missionaries, “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.” The Moravian’s passion for souls was surpassed only by their passion for the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.”
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