Tag Archive | John 3:16

The Answer Isn’t Blowing in the Wind

Sep16

If you are observing what is currently going on in the news and the world around us, you can’t help but see society and it’s foundations are beginning to crumble. Lawlessness rules many cities. Abuses of babies, children and the elderly are at an all time high. Governments are continually extending limitations of people’s freedoms in the name of the “pandemic.” Suicide rates are up. Alcoholism is increasing. The world has become a much different place than it was even eight months ago.

The one thing that has not changed is God’s love for people. Just over 2000 years ago He sent His Son to earth as a baby. That baby would grow to become a sinless man willing to lay down His life in order to offer salvation to any that would make a decision to be born again, take up their cross and follow Him.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ( John 3:16)

It is a wonderful thing to know that we can not only have eternal life after this one, but a life of peace and true joy despite the world that currently surrounds us by believing in and following Jesus Christ.

If you haven’t done so, today is the day of salvation for you! Don’t wait until it is too late. Jesus Christ is going to appear soon for His Church. He will be removing His church before God’s wrath is poured out on this world of ours. He could appear any day!

Don’t wait and miss His appearing! Today pray this prayer with me and ask Jesus Christ into your life.

Dear Lord: I am a sinner in need of forgiveness and cleansing. I have lived a life without You and today I ask for forgiveness. My desire is to know you as my Savior and my Lord. Please accept me as Your child. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit and enable me to live life with the assurance that one day I will live forever in eternity with You. Equip me here with the Comforter that I may learn of You and give me a hunger for Your Word (the Bible) that I may grow in my faith and learn of You. Prepare me for your appearance so that I may escape the wrath that is to come. I ask it all in the mighty and powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Praise God! You have been made clean and whole by the power and blood of Jesus Christ. You have become a new creation. Old sins are now passed away! Welcome into the family of God!

Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!  This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.  For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.  So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”  For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:14-21)

It is vitally important you begin to read the Bible. Perhaps begin with the book of Matthew in the New Testament. It is also important that you begin to associate yourself with other Christians and a church that will be able to help disciple you in your new walk with Christ. Pray and ask God to lead you to find both.

Blessings!

Advertisement

Nothing compares to the greatness of knowing Him

Aug21

The cost of following Christ is often steep. When we believe the Word of God is His love letter to us, His direct Word into our lives it causes us to live differently, think differently and act differently than the “norm.” There is nothing ordinary about following Christ. It is a walk with obstacles, heartaches at times, challenges and hard decisions but it is a walk of love, grace, mercy and great blessing!

When we fall in love with Jesus, there is NO other walk for us. His precious Spirit draws us closer to Him and there is no where else we would rather be.  A day may come when following Christ may cost us everything, but even that is a small price to pay for our being enveloped by the lover of our soul not only here but for Eternity.

When I read the news and hear of how many of my brothers and sisters in Christ are suffering and even being killed for their faith it makes me sad, however, their rewards will be great! After all this world is only temporary. They will spend Eternity with the One who loves them more than anyone possibly could here on this Earth.

The Word of God tells us we are a peculiar people, and that we are. We are a called people, blessed with the Holy Spirit living within us and with a living relationship with the lover of our soul! As much as I love my family and have a very good life, there is none like  Jesus!  If you don’t know Him personally you will never be able to understand this but when you have surrendered your life to Christ and walk in fellowship with Him you realize there is NOTHING and NO ONE  that compares.

If you haven’t cried out to Christ, perhaps it is time you did. He longs to have fellowship with you. He died to become a sacrifice for your sins. There is nothing you can do that He cannot forgive or redeem! Cry out to Him with a sincere heart and He will hear you. Ask Him to forgive you and to fill you with His Holy Spirit.  He doesn’t make lame promises, His Word is true.

John 3:16 NIV 16 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.

Acts 2:38 NIV 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

If you already know Christ, don’t settle for any less than intimacy with Him. Don’t allow the things of the world to distract you from the calling on your life. He has a purpose for you, a high calling and your true joy will come from walking it out.

Phillipians 3:7-11 NIV 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

And remember the words of Apostle Paul, Romans 8:38-39 NIV 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Have a blessed day!   🙂

REAL love or Reeling, feelings love?

Feb14

Considering today is Valentine’s Day, I thought it appropriate to do a post on love as it is described in the Bible. It doesn’t take long to discover that society’s definition of love varies from that of God’s.

Dictionary.com shows the definition as follows..

LOVE: Noun, verb, loved, lov·ing.

noun

1.a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. 

2.a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.

3.sexual passion or desire.

4.a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.

5.(used in direct address as a term of endearment, affection, or the like): Would you like to see a movie, love?

Though all these varied definitions are somewhat true, they all  based on feelings. This is a vastly different type of  love than the one God has  provided for us and the one His Spirit allows us to receive and demonstrate to others. Much of the troubles the world is facing today is due to the fact that LOVE has become “feeling” motivated only. People often get into relationships, marriages etc. based on their feelings alone and wonder a few years down the road why their relationship is failing or going south. When we base our love for another or from another on feelings alone, we set ourselves up for great disappointment and trouble.  Though feelings are very important, they cannot be the basis for Biblical love.

Here’s what God’s word says about love..

1 Corinthians 13:4-13 NIV 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

This is LOVE! This is the kind of love God has for each and every one of us! This is the kind of love He wants us to have for one another! If we operate in this type of love, we will not see the kind of destructive bashing and hurting we so often see.  It is only possible to have this kind of love when we come to the realization that this IS the kind of love our Heavenly Father has for us. It is through the security of  His love for us and the power of the Holy Spirit  that we are able to allow ourselves the vulnerability to demonstrate  this kind of love to others, not only when they deserve it, but even at times when they don’t.

 By offering up His Son, as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, God demonstrated this kind of  love for us.  John 3:16 NIV 16 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. 

 If we want to make an impact on our families, communities and our world, we need to take our definition of love from the Word of God,  not from society.  My prayer is this year, God will help me to grow more in His kind of love and less in the world’s kind of love!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

The best Christmas gift to give

Dec11

As followers of Christ, we are so blessed to live under God’s mercy and grace through Christ. We are given access to the throne of God. We are provided for and given the wonderful gifts of the Spirit to move in. We are the King’s kids. What a privilege and blessing. Nothing is too difficult or challenging for God to hear and answer on our behalf.  Do we deserve it? No, but we have been adopted into the King’s family through Jesus, thereby making us His own. We are truly blessed and highly favored!

My hope is that I will not take that for granted as I have at various times in the past. I want to remember daily, just what Christ has done for each and everyone of us willing to invite Him into our lives. He is no respecter of persons. What is available to me is available to everyone else that asks Christ into their lives.  John 3:16 NIV 16 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.

This Christmas season I want to share the “good news” with others. There are so many hurting, broken people that are looking in all the wrong places for help to their problems. I want my life to demonstrate the love of Christ to those around me. I want to be able to help others in a tangible way but most of all I want to let them know that the same God that loves and cares for me is available to them. The only real solution for this hurting, broken world is to lead them to the One that is able to do all things. Though we can help and be a blessing, there are things we are not equipped or able to do. This is where God excels, in miracles!

Remember this Christmas season that the gospel is only good news to those that hear it! Share the love of Christ this year with those who are looking for answers. After all, He is the answer. Though He came as a baby, He now reigns as the King of Kings and  is available to all that seek Him. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 NIV 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. 

During all our gift giving this season, let’s not forget to share the one gift that truly keeps on giving, the gift of Christ to a dying world.

1 Timothy2:5,6 NIV 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people.

1 Timothy2:5,6 NIV 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people.

Basking in His Love

Jul17

There are so many blessings that come from being a child of God.  We have His protection, His provision, His anointing on our life and His guidance in our daily walk. The greatest thing we have, over all these things, is His love and what a love it is! In our busyness of life we often forget just how much He loves us. Let’s reacquaint ourselves with that love by His words to us….

The ultimate demonstration of God’s love for us came through the birth and death of His son on our behalf, John 3:16 NIV 16 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.  

The King of the Universe loved us so much that even the price of His own precious Son was not too much to offer in order to restore fellowship with us. Let’s hope we NEVER take that for granted.

Here are some other verses to meditate on, illustrating an awesome love from an awesome God…

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Ephesians 2:4,5 NIV 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions —it is by grace you have been saved.

A beautiful promise for anyone seeking God, Proverbs 8:17 NIV 17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.

 1John 4:9,10 NIV 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

 Job 34:19 NIV 19 who shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?

And one of my favourite verses, Psalm 86:15 NIV 15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

 1Peter 5:6,7 NIV 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  

We don’t need to carry around our anxieties and worries but can lay them at His feet and He promises to take care of us.

 Zephaniah 3:17 NIV 17 The Lord your God is with you,the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.

This verse sums up just how very precious we are to Him, Romans 8:37-39 NIV 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future,nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There is literally  nothing or no one that can separate us from God’s love!!! No circumstances, no persecution, no individual, NOTHING can separate us from His love through Christ.

When we really grasp just how much He loves us and cares for us we can understand the importance of the following command,

John 13:34,35 NIV 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 5 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Bask in His words of love to you until you understand just how deep that love is and then  go out and love one another as Christ would love.