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Do you know the Lord?
If not, will you consider the truth of living life separated from a God because of your sin? The world throws at us too much of what a Christian is, isn’t, should be, is, and we get it wrong every single time we don’t start (and stay) with God’s Word as the only and absolute truth it is.
We didn’t decide what is right and what is wrong
We measure so much by God’s Old Testament Law Exodus chapter 20: Don’t murder, Don’t commit adultery, Don’t steal. Don’t lie…and not one of us comes out blameless when we stand next to a Holy God. Thankfully, Jesus came to pay our sin debt and while we were yet sinners, He died, was buried, and rose again-today the Living God-to save us from our sin. Now, God’s grace through Christ is our righteousness, when we confess our sin and believe in Him. As is God’s ways, what is impossible with the world is possible with God, and when we know Him, we are born twice but will die only once spending an eternity with our God and Savior.
God’s Law, Exodus 20
Isaiah 59:2, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”
Romans 5:8-9 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him!
Romans 10:9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
John 3:1There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”3Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,a you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”4“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
5Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.6Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.c7So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘Youd must be born again.’ 8The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
Do you Believe?
What an opportunity you have today to repent and believe! If that’s you, please message me or tell someone in your life about your decision. It’s the best choice you’ll ever make in this life!
Out with the Old, in with the new
For all of us who are Believers, we know we are no longer the same. When God saved us, He replaced ALL of our old self with ALL THINGS NEW:
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Who Do you say He is?
That’s where I want to stop for a minute today. Remember the question Jesus asked Peter in the Gospels?
Mark 8:27Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”28They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”29“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Let’s ask ourselves the same question today: WHO is the Lord? Think about that for a minute.
God is
Everywhere- Psalm 139:7-10 7Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. 9If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
All Knowing– IS 46:8-10I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’
Holy– I Peter 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Strong and Mighty– Psalm 24:8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
Unchanging– Malachi 3:6A For I am the LORD, I change not
The way, The Truth and The Life – John 14:6. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Mercy & Grace Psalm 85:15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
Light I John 1:5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.
Love I John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
Righteous– Psalm 116:5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.
With Me– Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Answer to Prayers- Psalm 65:5 You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas.
Faithful- I Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
God is MY
Joy– Psalm 43:4 There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy. I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God!
Comfort- Psalm 71:21 You will increase my honor and comfort me once more.
Hope– Psalm 71:5 For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.
Safety– Psalm 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
Teacher – Psalm 86:11 Teach me your ways, O LORD, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.
Guide– Psalm 25:5 Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.
Refuge– Psalm 61:3 2From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. for you have been a refuge for me, a strong tower in the face of the enemy.
Love – John 15:9 As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love.
Keeper– Psalm 121: 5The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
Shepherd– Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
Friend–John 15:15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
Leader– Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Salvation– Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation– whom should I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life– of whom should I be afraid?
Hope– Psalm 39:7 And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.
Peace–John 14:27 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.
All of us are being challenged
Friends, life can be really hard. Even for those who have no personal challenges outside of our world’s proclaimed pandemic, life is challenging in ways unkown to most just a short few months ago.
Do you need a refuge? Safety? Peace? Love? Hope? Joy? Or any of these things we’ve just talked about? I KNOW you do, and God knows you and your needs even more than you do.
Who is Jesus
During this time of lockdown, Jeopardy, the game show, is replaying their very first episodes from some 35 years ago. If the host of the show would chime in here, he would say, “The answer is, Who is Jesus.” It wouldn’t be a question, but rather an answer. For us, every one of us, it’s not only an answer, it is THE answer. Jesus is the answer.
Dig into God’s Word
I’ll close with this passage and the best advice to yield right back to the above verses and more..dig into the Word of God, Friends!
Matthew 6:32For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and Hisrighteousness, and all these things will be addedunto you. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.”
Weakness isn’t the end of life
Weakness isn’t the end of life, it is an invitation and doorway to the very strength and power you need.
‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Pain and Praise can coexist
So much to think about, so much TRUTH to meditate on. So much hope to live your life in today, and each new day the Lord gives you! Silence the lies you’ve been listening to, quiet your heart in God’s Word, and receive God’s Word in your heart. Don’t forget, pain and praise can coexist; live joyfully even in hard times knowing God is at work and He is good.
