Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

Gifts From God The Father

JOHN 6:35-37 – Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”

 

THEME OF THE DAY:  GIFTS FROM GOD THE FATHER.  As we read today’s nugget and realize the amazing truth within, it will be quite okay for us to go into a period of exalted praise, exuberant worship, and joy-filled thanksgiving for what God says we are in relationship to His Son, the Lord Jesus.  Oh, if we cannot wait till the end, that is quite alright too!

 

Today’s scripture is one of the choice passages affirming a biblical truth running throughout scripture of God’s sovereign election of a people to salvation.  No, not foreknowledge that God knows who will choose His Son, the Lord Jesus, for salvation and then elects them to salvation.  The Bible is clear that salvation is of the Lord from start to finish and before we ever entered the scene literally as human beings, God chose a people for His own possession in Christ – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love (Ephesians 1:3-4).  So, when it comes to the doctrine of sovereign election, don’t be disrespectful to the Lord and His Word by debating it, arguing over it, or even denying it.  Simply humbly embrace it and rejoice over the assurance and security it brings to the believing soul.  Now the praise part from today’s scripture . . .

 

Jesus tells us we are safe, sound and secure in our salvation now and forever with the promise, “Whoever comes to me, I will never cast out”. But, look what He says before – “All that the Father gives me will come to me.”  Ponder this work of the Father and do so focused on the words “The Father gives me.”  What is the word normally associated with giving?  Gift.  Have we thought about what we are from God the Father to God the Son?  We are gifts of His electing grace.  We might say, “God the Father has elected a people, not because they deserve or merit it, but out of His pleasure to give them to His Son as gifts of His sovereign grace.”  Take a few moments and read Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer and either highlight our Bibles or write down the many times the Lord Jesus in praying to His Father gives reference to the Father giving Him a people for His own possession.  I will save us a little time. Such truth appears seven times throughout the twenty-eight verses of our Lord’s prayer.

 

And get this . . . the Lord loves the people the Father has gifted to Him!  It is not like that Christmas or birthday gift someone gives us that holds little or no interest and we are tempted to give away!  No, our Lord takes great delight in those the Father has taken great delight to give to Him.

 

So, as we think on this great truth, it would be okay to shout a little word of praise and thanksgiving for such Trinitarian love right now!

 

PRAYER: “Father, I so praise You for giving me to Jesus, and thank You for drawing me to Jesus, affirming my election.”

 

QUOTE: “Our salvation is secure not because we hold on but because salvation is of the Lord and He holds on.”

 

In the affection of Christ Jesus,

 

Pastor Jim