Our confidence in Christ

Can our confidence in Christ help us in our everyday witness for the Gospel? If you are not sure what I am really asking, then please read these words from Huldrych Zwingli and see if my question then makes sense.

"Our confidence in Christ does not make us lazy, negligent, or careless, but on the contrary, it awakens us, urges us on, and makes us active in living righteous lives and doing good. There is no self-confidence to compare with this."

Zwingli's words make sense to me. It reminds me that when we rely on the gift of the Holy Spirit, we can be confident in God working through our lives.

Hebrews 10:35 - So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!

Living in Grace

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Confident of these things

I was thankful for the inclusion of Psalm 27 in the lectionary reading for Sunday. It reminded me that we can be confident in the goodness of God. This has been very helpful, especially in light of all that is happening around us at the moment.

"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 

Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. " - Psalm 27:13-14

I believe that a person can only say these things if one has experienced them in the past. We can know God's strength and power, when we are willing to wait on Him. 

May God's spirit strengthen you and enable you to Take Heart.

Living in Grace

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Holding my tongue

"A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence." - Proverbs 11:13

Living in 2020 it is quite hard to keep things in confidence. Just one slip of the tongue or keyboard and rumours can spread very quickly. Although people in Solomon's day didn't have to be concerned about their social media presence, they were still impacted by gossips and people who loved to spread fake news. 

As Christ-followers we are just as tempted to speak out of turn, but it is wise of us to prove trustworthy and not to be rash with our words. Jesus gives us the best example of this when he remains silent, even in the face of his accusers.

Proverbs 26:20 - "Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down."

 

“Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.” - Socrates  

 

“Isn't it kind of silly to think that tearing someone else down builds you up?” ― Sean Covey 

 

Living in Grace

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Because there is Hope

 

There are no guarantees in this life, but JOB does offer us a word of Hope when he mentions that our 'rest' is in the presence of God. Despite what happens in the New Year we must look around us and see God at work in our lives. This Hope should bring us a renewed confidence and draw us back into the peace of Christ.

 

• Job 11:18 - You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.

Eugene Peterson adds a slightly different take on this verse when he adds these words:
 
"Full of hope, you’ll relax, confident again; you’ll look around, sit back, and take it easy."

Living in Grace
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