How do we know we are loved by God? The blood of God's only Son, who is perfect - His blood was required to satisfy the law of our Holy Father so that we can come before Almighty God as His beloved, reconciled and justified child. "You see at the right TIME, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.--- But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been JUSTIFIED by His BLOOD, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him! For IF, when we were God's enemies, we were RECONCILED to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been RECONCILED, shall we be saved through His LIFE! Not only is this so, (Jesus is alive in us - as the Holy Spirit - as we BELEIVED that Jesus shed His blood to cover our sorry sins and detestable ways. As we submit, confess, and asked to receive Jesus as our Savior --- we are washed in the precious BLOOD of Jesus, and purified, justified, reconciled, and sanctified in His RIGHTEOUSNESS --- before a Holy God) but we rejoice in God though our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received RECONCILIATION." Romans 5:6-11 From the very beginning, His plan was to reconcile us through the sacrifice of His perfect Son, 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. AMEN "For He chose us IN HIM before the creation of the world to be HOLY and BLAMELESS in HIS SIGHT. In LOVE He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will --- to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the ONE HE LOVES. IN HIM we have REDEMPTION through HIS BLOOD, the forgiveness of sins, in (respect for God's plan, we accept His loving gift of the BLOOD sacrifice of Jesus for His pleasure and purpose that we may be reconciled to our Holy Father) in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the TIMES will have reached their fulfillment ---to bring ALL things in heaven and on earth together under One head, even Christ." Ephesians 1:4-1 EASTER WEEK 2010 Jesus is ALIVE and He equips us with the LAVISH love and understanding made possible by our submission and obedience to the indwelt Holy Spirit. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men — the testimony given in its proper TIME.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6) Without blood rushing through a body, we have only an empty corpse. "Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were REDEEMED (purchased) from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, a lamb wihout blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last TIMES for your sake. Through Him you believe in God, Who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have been purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishible seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God." 1 Peter 1:17-24 An OXYMORON is a combination of words that oppose. “ill health” or “good grief" or "jumbo shrimp" or "clearly confused". God teaches us the truth with a few mind bending phrases that cause us to think opposite of the world.
Be poor and find true wealth.
Be weak and find God's strength.
Be humble and become known as noble.
Be harrassed and be truly glad for it.
Be tortured to death and live victoriously?
Am I willing to be Crucified in Christ? "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified." Then Jesus said to the group of clearly confused disciples --- they just did not get what He was saying until later. "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But it it dies, it produces many seeds." The baffled brains of those listening were stumped by what the Messiash meant when He continued "The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." --- Will I choose the love of Christ even when my flesh longs to be held? Will I choose to be transparent with the Holy Spirit and confess my pride, grief, fears, doubts? Am I willing to surrender ALL my goals, aspirations, dreams and hopes to the One who loves me as I am? Will I choose to sacrifice my time, sleep, food, getting my hair or nails done, or my popularity among peers to follow Jesus? "Whoever serves Me MUST follow Me; and where I am, My servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves Me. Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name! Then a VOICE came from heaven, I have glorified it, and will glorify it again. The crowd that was there ---and heard it--- said it had thundered; others said an angel has spoken to him. Jesus said 'This VOICE was for your benefit, not mine." John 12:23-30 Today we have the advantage of looking back into history with our ever present Counselor to give us understanding. But during the last suppper the disciples did not realize the full extent of what the death of Jesus meant for them, and for all future generations to come. Jesus knew the time had come for Him to leave the world so He gathered His disciples together to show them the full extent of His love. "He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him. ---When He had finished washing their feet, He put on His outer clothes and returned to His place. 'Do you understand what I have done for you? --- No servant is greater than his Master, nor is a messenger greater than the One who sent him." John 13:5-17 The ever doubting Thomas asked "Lord, we don't know where You are going, so how can we know the way? Jesus answered 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you really knew Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him." John 14:6 Then Jesus spoke clearly that "ANYONE WHO HAS FAITH in ME will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these BECAUSE I am going to the Father." John 14:12-14. Then Jesus promises the Holy Spirit "If you love Me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever --- the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be "IN" you. I will not leave you as orphans;I will come to you. Before long the world will not see Me anyomre, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you." John 14:15-21 Halleluiah Lord Jesus, thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in us forever and ever as we slip and slide and return to walk accoding to Your direction. AMEN
Testimony of Barbara Alley:
ReplyDeleteBefore I accepted Jesus as my Savior, I believed that I did not need anyone to help me or save me. My parents did not rely on God for anything. I was told that if I wanted something that I had to work hard for it. I was raised in a house without hugs or encouragement. My parents divorced and at the age of seventeen I left home determined to do whatever it takes to find love and happiness. Defiantly at the age of 20 I eloped with my high school sweetheart. Our marriage ended in divorce and life was hard as a single mother. I read self-help books, and attended seminars on how to make money and be happy. The harder I tried the success concept of “FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT”, the deeper I sank into despair. Enough money or a good man could NOT fill the hole in my soul. Even in a crowded room I felt alone, I was broken and empty.
My son and I moved into an apartment but my new career and more money did not satisfy me. Each day I felt inadequate and unable to love my son as a healthy mother could. My heart was void of caring as I had no resource to give from. Suppressing depression by staying active complicated my life even more. Feeling insecure and drained by everyday tasks, I had no energy to share with my son or anyone. A stranger who lived in my apartment building noticed my sadness and invited me to a local revival. At the age of 25 I attended a church service with an open heart, received Jesus and was baptized. I was given my first bible. As I read the bible, the Holy Spirit gave me understanding and I experienced real hope for the first time. Self pity died and I felt alive. The Holy Spirit confirmed in my spirit that I was loved and that God had a plan for me. I felt that I belonged to a great family and I believed God’s promise that --- He would never forsake me. Study with other believers in their homes has increased my faith and given me the needed encouragement that I had always longed for. Before God entered and changed my life, I was never certain of my purpose. After accepting Jesus, I have experienced peace and joy and pleasing man was no longer important to me. My relationship with my dad was healed before he died, and forgiveness towards others eventually became easier. Knowing that all the direction I need is in the bible, I can make confident choices that I know honors God. Today I am motivated to please God and as I obey His word, I am thrilled to know that I bring Him pleasure. My new life in Christ is far greater than anything the world has to offer. God is worthy to be praised for His love is certain and it endures forever!