Over the years there has been false teachings about grace. I witnessed a youth group that taught they could do anything because they were covered in grace. Not! The truth is that grace empowers us to not sin. 

Romans 6:11 is our key. It says that we are dead to sin, because in the moment of our salvation we died with Christ. He set us free from the slave block of sin. According to Colossians 1:13 He “…delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.”

In Romans 6:13 Paul’s instruction for the resurrection life is to, “…not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”

What we pursue had an essential bearing on our conduct. In Philippians 3:10 Paul wrote that his determined purpose was to know the Lord. The Amplified says, “…that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection (which exerts over believers)…”

Philippians 3:11 says, “If by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” As I was working on memorizing this verse, I wondered what Paul meant. One of my pastor’s gave me Hendriksen’s commentary to help me understand.

He wrote, “These words give expression to Paul’s intense longing and striving to be raised completely above sin and selfishness, so that he can be a most effective agent for the salvation of men to the glory of God…” 

This is why I love Romans 6. In verses 1-2 Paul asked a question and answered it emphatically. Ask yourself this question ~ “Shall I continue to sin that grace may abound?” Hear Paul’s words echoing in your mind. Verse 2 says, “Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”

Our standing was stated in verse 5. The ‘if’ in Greek is since. It says, “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.” Verse 4 described it as newness of life.

Psalm 22:3 says, “But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.” Enthroned in the Hebrew means to dwell, remain, sit, abide. The definition drew me to John 4:24. It says, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Praise is rooted in the heart of one whose lifestyle is worship. Worship is succulent fruit to the Lord. Psalm 138:1-2 says, “I will praise You with my whole heart; before the gods I will sing praises to You. I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above Your name.”

God’s word gives us the words to worship with. Throughout Scripture we see the Lord’s attributes displayed. As we gaze at Him, as we contemplate Who He is at all times, worship enlarges our hearts until it is expressed through our lips.

1 Peter 2:5 says, “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

I had been working on memorizing Philippians 3:10. Afterwards I was singing this song, “Open The Eyes Of My Heart” and letting the words roll through my mind. “Holy, holy, holy, I want to see You.…”

The verse recorded Paul’s pursuit. It says, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection…”

Ephesians 1:4 says that He chose us before the foundation of the world, “…that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” 1 Peter 1:15 says, “But as He who called you is holy you also be holy in all your conduct.”

Verse 17 says, “And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves through the time of your stay here in fear.” 

Peter wrote about our state, which is our pursuit of holiness. It is our journey of progressive sanctification. Jude wrote about our standing, which is eternal and unchangeable. Verse 24 says, “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.”

Excellence is a character quality that exemplifies the Lord. I love Peter’s title for the Father. In 2 Peter 1:16-18 he described what it was like for him, James, and John with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration.

Verse 17 says, “For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory; This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

The eyes of the Excellent Glory are on us. Is He pleased with our pursuits? Does our life characterize the One who died for us? Does what we say and do honor the Lord? Do others see Jesus’ character through our lives?

I like to visit Acts 4:13. Peter and John had stood before the Sanhedrin as they were questioned. Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit as he answered. Verse 13 says, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” Amazing testimony. May all who know us see Jesus’ character displayed.

From the moment we accept Jesus as our Savior, we enter into His purpose to conform us to be His image bearers. We gain knowledge of Him from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

2 Peter 1:3 says, “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him…” Then in verses 5-7 Peter charged his readers to add to their faith. One of those was knowledge. 

Our knowledge of the Lord deepens as we continue to seek Him through intimate communion. That is the soil which produces fruit for His glory. John 15:1-8.

Paul gave Timothy a charge of what to pursue in 1 Timothy 6:6. It says, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.” We have everything we need through our relationship with the Lord. Verse 11 was the charge which includes us. It says, “…pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.” Pursue means to follow hard after.

Back in the 70’s I read “Pursuit Of God” by A. W. Tozer. It changed my life. I loved his prayers at the end of each chapter. They awakened something in me as I began to pray them. I made his prayer after chapter one into my first person. ’I want to want You; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still.’ 

I love Psalm 63:8 in the Amplified. It says, “My whole being follows hard after You and clings closely to You; Your right hand upholds me.” 

I am presently memorizing Philippians 3:8-14. Paul was in prison. Verse 8 says, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”

Paul had amazing credentials. Verses 4-7. Yet he counted them as nothing. The Amplified says, “…refuse, dregs…” Anything that we pursue apart from the Lord becomes a heart idol. It blocks our intimate communion with Him. 

You can read the Lord’s instructions to Joshua in chapter 6, verses 1-5. All the people heard was his command. They were to march around the city for six days and return to camp. On the seventh day they marched around, the priests blew the trumpets. The people shouted. Verse 10 says that the wall fell down flat.

Verse 21 says, “And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city…” In verse 24 they burned the city and all that was in it. The vessels of gold, silver, bronze, and iron  were put into the treasury of the house of the Lord.

What is the lesson for us? When we face our impossibilities, it is a time to be silent. Negative dialogues are dross to our faith. What we need to do is to speak truth from God’s word. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

What we hear coming out of our mouths will either build up our faith or weaken it. Mark 11:22 are our watcher-on-the-wall words. It says, “…Have faith in God.”

The children of Israel crossed over the Jordan on dry ground. Joshua 3:16 says, “That the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and arose in a heap very far away…and the people crossed over opposite Jericho.”

Isaiah 55:9 says, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.: God’s way to destroy Jericho are too high for man to understand.

We get a glimpse from Joshua 2 from Rahab who hid the two spies Joshua sent out. Verse 10 says, “For we heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea…” Verse 11 says, “As soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and earth beneath.”

The Lord told Joshua what He was going to do. Joshua 6:1 says, “Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel…” Verse 10 says, “…You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth…”

David wanted to know the Lord’s way. In Psalm 25:4-5 he prayed, “Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.”

Waiting is a trial all its own. It is God’s way to wait. I love 2 Samuel 5:24. King David was instructed to wait. Once he heard what the Lord wanted him to hear he could advance. 

David wrote about waiting in Psalm 27:14. It says, “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage and He will strengthen your heart; wait I say on the Lord!”

Job made a great statement when he couldn’t perceive the Lord. Job 23:10 says, “But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.”

The way of man is to please himself, but the way of the redeemed is to walk in His ways. Colossians 1:10 says, “That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him…”