The Thing that Motivates Me...

By Albert Friend

My motivation is coming from a deep love for God. He has kept me saved through His blood sixty three years, as of March 2013. Luke did not see Jesus on earth. The writings of Luke are the strong platform on which my long walk with God has taken place. The Book of Luke and the Book of Acts, which Luke wrote, record the birth of the church. On this foundation I have built my house that is still standing after sixty three years. I have come safely through many storms and I am convinced, "There is a God."

His blood is my conscience. When I failed Him I asked His forgiveness. He is faithful and just to forgive me immediately. That becomes my conscience immediately. I am forgiven immediately. I am free immediately. My conscience is free and clean immediately. This freedom that God gives me immediately is my source of new strength. I was wrong but I didn't have to linger in guilt. My conscience was clean immediately and I could go on to the next thing. I am so glad I know Jesus. I love Him.

God is justified in doing this for me. He is not overlooking my sin and showing me a special favor. He died for my sins as well as the sins of the whole world. He became the guilty one in my place. He took the punishment that should have been mine. God Himself paid the price for my sin. God fulfilled His own requirement of punishment for sin, which is: the innocent must die for the guilty, the just must die for the unjust. Therefore He is justified in forgiving me. No one can point his finger at God and say He is not doing right. He is justified in forgiving me because He died in my place. Now I am His to do with as He chooses. He loves me and forgives me. He bought me with a price, not of silver or gold, but with something more precious than gold, the blood of the innocent man who He became for me.

For this cause He asks us to die out to the old man and become a new man, a resurrected man, in Christ Jesus. Old things pass away and all things become new. We become citizens of a new nation in the world. We become a new species of people. We are born again from above. This is a second birth for us, a new birth. We become new creatures in Christ Jesus. We then follow and obey the constitution Jesus proclaimed for this new nation. This constitution cannot be amended.

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." 

(II Timothy 3:16-17)

The Books of Luke and Acts fit Paul's position on "profitable for doctrine." If you fight a Scripture you will never see the Scripture that confirms it. When you read a Bible verse you should say two things. The first thing to say is: Do I believe this? The second thing you should say is: Yes.

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Editor's Note: Bro. Friend is a retired Apostolic minister/pastor. He and his wife live in Hmailton, Ohio. From his home he has published a number of books and a blogsite - "The Apostolic Cutting Edge."