“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." – John 3:16-21
What Jesus’ Gift Brings. Love. Image if you will that you have done a crime punishable by death. You stand before the judge awaiting your sentence. Someone steps up to speak. The person that steps up to speak is the person that you wronged. What they say to the judge astonishes you. They tell the judge that they will take you punishment of death.
Or what if you had a debt that was over a trillion dollars. There was no way you could pay it. You owed it and punishment for not being able to pay it was coming soon (in ancient times, you were put in prison or your family until you could pay off the debt). Yet to your surprise the one you owe the debt to says, I’ll pay the debt in full.
These two attempts really cannot explain the fullest of what we were forgiven of when Jesus stepped in to take on our sins. When he took our sins on himself he paid the penalty for our crimes and he paid the debt we could not fulfill.
God loves mankind so much, that he sent his son to die for you and I. All he requires from us is the belief in his plan. We have to believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father. We cannot try to make our own way, decide our own plan of salvation because there is no other way other than through Jesus Christ.
The message in the scripture is clear. If you do not accept the love of God you are in fact condemning yourself. I’ve heard many a person say, God is love so he wouldn’t send anyone to hell. The truth in that statement is this, because God wishes none to perish, he made a way of escape. However, he will not force you or I to take it. If we decide to miss the avenue of escape it is in fact our own foolishness that sends us to hell, not God. The scripture tells us that the verdict is this; some do not come to the light because they do not want their deeds exposed.
Yet, let us not be fooled. Even if we try to hide our deeds in darkness, there still comes a time when the light will expose that which we do. It would be better, however that we allow God to remove the darkness so that we can live in the light than to be eternally engulfed in darkness and miss heaven. To miss heaven is what we would not want to do. To miss heaven means when you stand before the judgment seat of God in that moment I believe you will see a fuller understanding of God to quickly have it removed. The real punishment of hell is you will forever remember that moment when you were exposed to the fullness of God’s love and to know eternally you will never have it again. If that isn’t hell, I don’t know what is.
Today, I pray for us to really meditate on God’s love. God’s love is freely given to us all; let us not reject God’s love. I pray that we would examine all our deeds so that they will be done in the light so that it can plainly be seen we do all things through Christ.
Showing posts with label What Jesus' Gift Brings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label What Jesus' Gift Brings. Show all posts
Friday, March 7, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Words of Encouragement
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." – John 3:16-21
What Jesus’ Gift Brings. Love. Image if you will that you have done a crime punishable by death. You stand before the judge awaiting your sentence. Someone steps up to speak. The person that steps up to speak is the person that you wronged. What they say to the judge astonishes you. They tell the judge that they will take you punishment of death.
Or what if you had a debt that was over a trillion dollars. There was no way you could pay it. You owed it and punishment for not being able to pay it was coming soon (in ancient times, you were put in prison or your family until you could pay off the debt). Yet to your surprise the one you owe the debt to says, I’ll pay the debt in full.
These two attempts really cannot explain the fullest of what we were forgiven of when Jesus stepped in to take on our sins. When he took our sins on himself he paid the penalty for our crimes and he paid the debt we could not fulfill.
God loves mankind so much, that he sent his son to die for you and I. All he requires from us is the belief in his plan. We have to believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father. We cannot try to make our own way, decide our own plan of salvation because there is no other way other than through Jesus Christ.
The message in the scripture is clear. If you do not accept the love of God you are in fact condemning yourself. I’ve heard many a person say, God is love so he wouldn’t send anyone to hell. The truth in that statement is this, because God wishes none to perish, he made a way of escape. However, he will not force you or I to take it. If we decide to miss the avenue of escape it is in fact our own foolishness that sends us to hell, not God. The scripture tells us that the verdict is this; some do not come to the light because they do not want their deeds exposed.
Yet, let us not be fooled. Even if we try to hide our deeds in darkness, there still comes a time when the light will expose that which we do. It would be better, however that we allow God to remove the darkness so that we can live in the light than to be eternally engulfed in darkness and miss heaven. To miss heaven is what we would not want to do. To miss heaven means when you stand before the judgment seat of God in that moment I believe you will see a fuller understanding of God to quickly have it removed. The real punishment of hell is you will forever remember that moment when you were exposed to the fullness of God’s love and to know eternally you will never have it again. If that isn’t hell, I don’t know what is.
Today, I pray for us to really meditate on God’s love. God’s love is freely given to us all; let us not reject God’s love. I pray that we would examine all our deeds so that they will be done in the light so that it can plainly be seen we do all things through Christ.
What Jesus’ Gift Brings. Love. Image if you will that you have done a crime punishable by death. You stand before the judge awaiting your sentence. Someone steps up to speak. The person that steps up to speak is the person that you wronged. What they say to the judge astonishes you. They tell the judge that they will take you punishment of death.
Or what if you had a debt that was over a trillion dollars. There was no way you could pay it. You owed it and punishment for not being able to pay it was coming soon (in ancient times, you were put in prison or your family until you could pay off the debt). Yet to your surprise the one you owe the debt to says, I’ll pay the debt in full.
These two attempts really cannot explain the fullest of what we were forgiven of when Jesus stepped in to take on our sins. When he took our sins on himself he paid the penalty for our crimes and he paid the debt we could not fulfill.
God loves mankind so much, that he sent his son to die for you and I. All he requires from us is the belief in his plan. We have to believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father. We cannot try to make our own way, decide our own plan of salvation because there is no other way other than through Jesus Christ.
The message in the scripture is clear. If you do not accept the love of God you are in fact condemning yourself. I’ve heard many a person say, God is love so he wouldn’t send anyone to hell. The truth in that statement is this, because God wishes none to perish, he made a way of escape. However, he will not force you or I to take it. If we decide to miss the avenue of escape it is in fact our own foolishness that sends us to hell, not God. The scripture tells us that the verdict is this; some do not come to the light because they do not want their deeds exposed.
Yet, let us not be fooled. Even if we try to hide our deeds in darkness, there still comes a time when the light will expose that which we do. It would be better, however that we allow God to remove the darkness so that we can live in the light than to be eternally engulfed in darkness and miss heaven. To miss heaven is what we would not want to do. To miss heaven means when you stand before the judgment seat of God in that moment I believe you will see a fuller understanding of God to quickly have it removed. The real punishment of hell is you will forever remember that moment when you were exposed to the fullness of God’s love and to know eternally you will never have it again. If that isn’t hell, I don’t know what is.
Today, I pray for us to really meditate on God’s love. God’s love is freely given to us all; let us not reject God’s love. I pray that we would examine all our deeds so that they will be done in the light so that it can plainly be seen we do all things through Christ.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Words of Encouragement
Deal with your servant according to your love and teach me your decrees. I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes. It is time for you to act, O LORD; your law is being broken. – Psalm 119:124-126
What Jesus’ Gift Brings. Discernment. This is a long Psalm and it broken into several sections. The overarching theme in this scripture is following the precepts of God. In this section titled “Ayin” there are eight verses. The writer states he has done what is right so do not leave him to those that would oppress him.
The writer states he is looking diligently for God’s salvation. The writer understands that as hard as his situation may be, there is only one place to find help and that is in the Lord. He says I am your servant so deal with me according to your love and teach me your decrees.
The writer says he needs discernment. He needs God to help him have the ability to judge what is right and what is wrong. He also understands that he needs the ability to be sensitive to spiritual things. Without the help of the Holy Spirit we cannot be sensitive to the workings of the Spirit. We cannot see clearly the tricks of the enemy without the ability to be sensitive to the Spirit. The ability to discern helps us to separate what is good from evil. We can detect the smallest things that would slip right past us in our own abilities.
With the ability to discern we are able to then understand God’s way. This is another way that the comforter helps us in our daily walk. He will tell us what is truth and then we are able to determine what is right before God. If Jesus had not come and opened this gift to us, we would not be able to understand or discern those things that are spiritual. We would not understand them because we would be lost in darkness. That is still true today. There are those that do not understand and are not able to discern the enemies hand in events in our world, their actions or their lives. They are not able to discern the source of these things because they are in darkness.
Those of us that are in the light understand the things of the light. Those in the darkness do not understand because they cannot be understood in the darkness. That is why we that are of the light do not always understand the foolishness of the actions of people. We are discerning the outcome of their actions, which they cannot see. This is then the place that we can rejoice in knowing God’s gift to us allows us to see clearly the affects of good and evil. So today, let us thank God for his gift of discernment. Let us also pray for those we see that are making decisions in the dark. Seek God to open their eyes to the light so that they can move from darkness to light and receive the ability to discern what is right in the eyesight of God.
What Jesus’ Gift Brings. Discernment. This is a long Psalm and it broken into several sections. The overarching theme in this scripture is following the precepts of God. In this section titled “Ayin” there are eight verses. The writer states he has done what is right so do not leave him to those that would oppress him.
The writer states he is looking diligently for God’s salvation. The writer understands that as hard as his situation may be, there is only one place to find help and that is in the Lord. He says I am your servant so deal with me according to your love and teach me your decrees.
The writer says he needs discernment. He needs God to help him have the ability to judge what is right and what is wrong. He also understands that he needs the ability to be sensitive to spiritual things. Without the help of the Holy Spirit we cannot be sensitive to the workings of the Spirit. We cannot see clearly the tricks of the enemy without the ability to be sensitive to the Spirit. The ability to discern helps us to separate what is good from evil. We can detect the smallest things that would slip right past us in our own abilities.
With the ability to discern we are able to then understand God’s way. This is another way that the comforter helps us in our daily walk. He will tell us what is truth and then we are able to determine what is right before God. If Jesus had not come and opened this gift to us, we would not be able to understand or discern those things that are spiritual. We would not understand them because we would be lost in darkness. That is still true today. There are those that do not understand and are not able to discern the enemies hand in events in our world, their actions or their lives. They are not able to discern the source of these things because they are in darkness.
Those of us that are in the light understand the things of the light. Those in the darkness do not understand because they cannot be understood in the darkness. That is why we that are of the light do not always understand the foolishness of the actions of people. We are discerning the outcome of their actions, which they cannot see. This is then the place that we can rejoice in knowing God’s gift to us allows us to see clearly the affects of good and evil. So today, let us thank God for his gift of discernment. Let us also pray for those we see that are making decisions in the dark. Seek God to open their eyes to the light so that they can move from darkness to light and receive the ability to discern what is right in the eyesight of God.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Words of Encouragement
then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, - Proverbs 2:5-7
What Jesus’ Gift Brings. Wisdom. This Proverb is titled in one Bible reference as the moral benefits of wisdom. The writer starts with an encouragement for the reader to hear these words and to live by them. He tells the reader to turn his ear to wisdom (good judgment and insight) and apply his heart to understanding (thoughtfulness).
He tells the reader that it is wisdom that will hold them and keep them blameless before the Lord. He warns do not allow the wicked or those that turn from the truth to influence you to do what is wrong. He says it is wisdom that will keep the feet of the godly from turning after the things of the wicked. He even states in verse 16 that if your spouse moves away from the truth of God, do not follow them because the path they are on leads to death and destruction. The writer wants us to understand we are not to allowing anything to stand between godly wisdom and us.
The important question for us to ask is if wisdom is important for us to obtain, how do we get it? This is one of the provisions we are offered through the gift of Jesus. When Jesus went to the cross he opened to you and I a way to God. This gift of Jesus is salvation for all that will come. It is also for us to be able to obtain what we need from the Father to walk in this way. God provided the way and then the ability to stay in that way.
This is another reason why we do not have to be afraid of the challenges we face. We can find comfort in the Lord because we have access to godly wisdom. This Proverb warns the reader to seek wisdom in all things. We need wisdom in our choices, in how we handle our relationships, how we allow others to influence us and how we face test and trials. We need wisdom even to help us deal with the challenges of dealing with others. The enemy tricks us and uses us sometimes (if we are not careful) by how we respond to things. We think we may be doing what is right, and if we do not test our thoughts and actions against godly wisdom we will find ourselves having to apologize for our lack of wisdom.
I pray for us today and say as the writer of this Proverb, the Lord gives us wisdom and he will give us victory when we us that wisdom in all that we do. It is God’s wisdom that allows us to be able to walk blameless. It is our pursuit of godly wisdom that helps us to keep in line with what God wants us to do and it helps us to see the devil at a distance and uncover his tricks and traps he sets for us. Today, let us thank God for wisdom. Let us meditate on the wisdom of God so that we can be victorious.
What Jesus’ Gift Brings. Wisdom. This Proverb is titled in one Bible reference as the moral benefits of wisdom. The writer starts with an encouragement for the reader to hear these words and to live by them. He tells the reader to turn his ear to wisdom (good judgment and insight) and apply his heart to understanding (thoughtfulness).
He tells the reader that it is wisdom that will hold them and keep them blameless before the Lord. He warns do not allow the wicked or those that turn from the truth to influence you to do what is wrong. He says it is wisdom that will keep the feet of the godly from turning after the things of the wicked. He even states in verse 16 that if your spouse moves away from the truth of God, do not follow them because the path they are on leads to death and destruction. The writer wants us to understand we are not to allowing anything to stand between godly wisdom and us.
The important question for us to ask is if wisdom is important for us to obtain, how do we get it? This is one of the provisions we are offered through the gift of Jesus. When Jesus went to the cross he opened to you and I a way to God. This gift of Jesus is salvation for all that will come. It is also for us to be able to obtain what we need from the Father to walk in this way. God provided the way and then the ability to stay in that way.
This is another reason why we do not have to be afraid of the challenges we face. We can find comfort in the Lord because we have access to godly wisdom. This Proverb warns the reader to seek wisdom in all things. We need wisdom in our choices, in how we handle our relationships, how we allow others to influence us and how we face test and trials. We need wisdom even to help us deal with the challenges of dealing with others. The enemy tricks us and uses us sometimes (if we are not careful) by how we respond to things. We think we may be doing what is right, and if we do not test our thoughts and actions against godly wisdom we will find ourselves having to apologize for our lack of wisdom.
I pray for us today and say as the writer of this Proverb, the Lord gives us wisdom and he will give us victory when we us that wisdom in all that we do. It is God’s wisdom that allows us to be able to walk blameless. It is our pursuit of godly wisdom that helps us to keep in line with what God wants us to do and it helps us to see the devil at a distance and uncover his tricks and traps he sets for us. Today, let us thank God for wisdom. Let us meditate on the wisdom of God so that we can be victorious.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Words of Encouragement
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. "You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. – John 14:26-28
What Jesus’ Gift Brings. Peace. Jesus in this 14th chapter of John is preparing his disciples for what is about to happen. He tells them he is going away and what he does it lets them know he is not leaving them alone and unprepared for their life ahead. Jesus comforts his disciples with the knowledge that they will see him again if they follow his ways.
He also comforts them by telling them the way to get to the blessings of eternal life with God and that is through Jesus. He lets his disciples know they can get to the Father through him because he is the way that God has prepared for all men to come to the Father.
Then Jesus promises them with the comforter. He tells them that even though he must go back to the Father, he is not leaving them alone. The difference is the world cannot see him or know him because they will not accept him to live in them. The comforter will only be shown to those that seek the Father through the Son. There was one that asked, why would you show us but not the world?
Jesus answers and says anyone that loves him will obey his teaching and the Father will come and make his home with them. But those that do not obey his teaching cannot see the Father. So after Jesus has comforted his disciples with what is to come, he again reminds them of what he is going to do.
These verses tell them that Jesus is sending the comforter so that they will have what they need. He will teach them all things, he will remind them of all that they have been taught and he will guide them. This promise then is topped off with the promise of godly peace. Jesus promises them peace not as the world gives but a peace that can only come from God. Jesus shows them in these verses how peace will be enacted through the Holy Spirit (comforter). Because the Holy Spirit will guide you, teach you and remind you of what you have been taught, it takes the worry from you on what to do and how to do it. You and I don’t have to worry about having ALL the answers for the “test”. Have you ever prepared for a test and you crammed trying to keep everything inside, but sometimes it just didn’t work out. Well we can go into our “test” without the stress of thinking we need to have all the answers remembered, because this test is different. The Holy Spirit’s job is to come alongside of us in the midst of our test and to bring back that which we know and then to teach us that which we do know. He is the one we go to for the answers. He has the correct answer key to every test; we just need to trust him.
This is why we can have peace and not be afraid in our life’s journey. I pray that we take the time today to thank God for his gift of peace. Let us thank him for the opportunity offered to us through the cross of peace. We can be still when the world around us is in unrest. We can find tranquility and calm when the pressure on our emotions would want to make us feel like a ship beaten by the heavy waves of the ocean. We can find that secret place, that sheltered place that only comes from our trust in God’s Spirit. He leaves us peace, peace that the world cannot give. The world cannot give this peace because the world does not know the Father and they have no part with him. Jesus gives us the peace through his gift of the cross. His gift to know the Father is given when we allow ourselves to know him.
What Jesus’ Gift Brings. Peace. Jesus in this 14th chapter of John is preparing his disciples for what is about to happen. He tells them he is going away and what he does it lets them know he is not leaving them alone and unprepared for their life ahead. Jesus comforts his disciples with the knowledge that they will see him again if they follow his ways.
He also comforts them by telling them the way to get to the blessings of eternal life with God and that is through Jesus. He lets his disciples know they can get to the Father through him because he is the way that God has prepared for all men to come to the Father.
Then Jesus promises them with the comforter. He tells them that even though he must go back to the Father, he is not leaving them alone. The difference is the world cannot see him or know him because they will not accept him to live in them. The comforter will only be shown to those that seek the Father through the Son. There was one that asked, why would you show us but not the world?
Jesus answers and says anyone that loves him will obey his teaching and the Father will come and make his home with them. But those that do not obey his teaching cannot see the Father. So after Jesus has comforted his disciples with what is to come, he again reminds them of what he is going to do.
These verses tell them that Jesus is sending the comforter so that they will have what they need. He will teach them all things, he will remind them of all that they have been taught and he will guide them. This promise then is topped off with the promise of godly peace. Jesus promises them peace not as the world gives but a peace that can only come from God. Jesus shows them in these verses how peace will be enacted through the Holy Spirit (comforter). Because the Holy Spirit will guide you, teach you and remind you of what you have been taught, it takes the worry from you on what to do and how to do it. You and I don’t have to worry about having ALL the answers for the “test”. Have you ever prepared for a test and you crammed trying to keep everything inside, but sometimes it just didn’t work out. Well we can go into our “test” without the stress of thinking we need to have all the answers remembered, because this test is different. The Holy Spirit’s job is to come alongside of us in the midst of our test and to bring back that which we know and then to teach us that which we do know. He is the one we go to for the answers. He has the correct answer key to every test; we just need to trust him.
This is why we can have peace and not be afraid in our life’s journey. I pray that we take the time today to thank God for his gift of peace. Let us thank him for the opportunity offered to us through the cross of peace. We can be still when the world around us is in unrest. We can find tranquility and calm when the pressure on our emotions would want to make us feel like a ship beaten by the heavy waves of the ocean. We can find that secret place, that sheltered place that only comes from our trust in God’s Spirit. He leaves us peace, peace that the world cannot give. The world cannot give this peace because the world does not know the Father and they have no part with him. Jesus gives us the peace through his gift of the cross. His gift to know the Father is given when we allow ourselves to know him.
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