21 Days of Prayer & Fasting預覽

The Way of Salvation

In the 19th century, Scholar & Bishop B.F. Westcott, a Cambridge University Divinity Professor, was approached by a keen undergraduate with the question, 'Are you saved?' The Bishop responded, "Ah, a very good question. I know I have been saved, I believe I am being saved, and I hope by the grace of God that I shall be saved."

Salvation is a profound concept with three tenses: you have been set free from the penalty of sin, you are being set free from the power of sin, and you will be set free from the presence of sin—such a beautiful picture of eternity.

The outcome of salvation is ultimate freedom. And in fact, the name Jesus means, 'God is my salvation' or 'Saviour.'

To be honest, every time I think about salvation, I get quite overwhelmed, especially when reading John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life" (NASB). John 3:17 expands on this, showing God's purpose wasn't condemnation but the whole world's salvation through Him.

The story leading to this scripture is intriguing. Nicodemus, a Jewish leader, asked Jesus about being born again. He's really asking, 'How is salvation even possible?' And Jesus' response? 'Your best isn’t what I am after; I am after your heart.'

Born again. It's a challenging phrase and stumps many. It feels hard to comprehend, and as Nicodemus said, 'How are these things possible?'

In birth, no one goes and thanks the baby for a great effort on being born. Yes, we 'goo' and 'gah' over the baby. BUT we all stand in awe of the Mother who pushes, agonises, and delivers. The Mother pays the price of birth. She doesn’t need or ask the child for advice on how to give birth. And Jesus is the one who painstakingly delivers our Salvation.

The Greek offers two choices for the word 'Again:' Palin (repeat action, a redo of what was done earlier) and Anothen (also depicts a repeated action, but requires the original source). Anothen means ‘From Above; from a higher place, things which come from heaven or God.' In other words, the one who did the work the first time does it again. Jesus chooses the Greek word Anothen here; He is not referring to a replica, a natural birthing, a second-generation attempt, or a well-meaning imitation. He who did it the first time must do it again.

Salvation is a free gift but demands cooperation and turning to God. He will never violate our free will, so a heart of repentance is needed. This synergy makes us co-workers with God. How wonderful.

Let's pray for all of the ones in our world who, as yet, have not opened their lives to the love of God & received salvation. And let's pray for our Nations. For us, that is the great South Land of the Holy Spirit, Australia. We're praying that revival will break through every city, town, and region. So, wherever you come from, pray.

Pray for your Country. Pray for Salvation.

It's our time xx

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As we conclude this 21-day journey of prayer and fasting, I stand in awe of the power of God's presence. Really, we've only just begun exploring the depths of His love, the richness of His Word, and the beauty of surrendering to His plans.

Thank you for joining us on this adventure. We pray that you continue to seek His face and dwell in His presence beyond these 21 days. May your life forever resonate with the melodies of worship, and may you walk boldly into every season, knowing that God's love and grace are with you, now and always.

Each year at Hope Unlimited Church, we run the HopeUC Gathering. We would love to have you join us in the future. For dates, locations, and costs, check out www.hopeucgathering.com