He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11
For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isaiah 57:15
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5
But I’m not even 20!
I chose you to tell My people that they have sinned, and I’m bringing judgment.
They won’t listen to me or respect me!
I chose you.
“They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,” says the LORD, “to deliver you.” Jeremiah 1:19
Tell My people that they will be overcome and go into captivity for 70 years because they have forsaken me and not repented of their wicked ways.
Alas! Lamentations! Jerusalem is lonely. It used to be full of people. Now, the few people it has scavenge for food.
“In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as [it is] in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.” Matthew 6:9-12
Our Father in heaven, You have blessed us by looking at us as Your children. We honor Your name and ask that You cause Your name to be revered throughout the heavens and upon earth. We ask that Your kingdom reign in our lives and that our will is transformed into Your will on earth. You are our Provider; give us our daily needs, both spiritually and physically. Continue reading From Debt to Forgiveness
For I [Jesus] have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:38-40
Have you ever wondered what the will of God was for your life? Jesus knew the will of God for His life, and He lived it out.
Jesus roamed the country preaching the Good News – news that God loves His people and has made a way for them to enter into a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus.
Jesus raised the dead, gave sight to the blind, touched the leper with healing, fed the multitudes, walked on water, turned water to wine, cast out demons, calmed the seas, and much more – all in the name of His Father.
Jesus shed His glory that He had with God in heaven to become a helpless baby, walk this earth, serve, and pay the price of our sin, our rebellion.
The price for that sin is death. Jesus came to die on the cross to pay the price of your sin and my sin.
Jesus came to defeat the curse of sin: death. He died, but three days later, the Holy Spirit raised Him from the dead! He’s now at the right hand of God, speaking on your behalf if you are His follower.
Jesus did the will of the Father while He was on earth, and we’re to do the will of God while we’re on earth.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. Galatians 1:3-4
But what is the will of God for our lives?
How do we do the will of God?
Continue reading The Will of God – It’s About Our Relationship with Him
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8
Waves spilled into the boat and tossed it like a bobber on a fishing line.
A ghost walking towards the boat!
Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.
Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.
Come.
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Matthew 14:23-30
Peter got out of the boat and walked toward Jesus. His will? Walk toward Jesus. His eyes fixed on Jesus, he walked on the Sea of Galilee towards His Messiah.
But he turned his eyes onto the storm, and his will changed. His will became, “survive the storm.”
Peter knew that if Jesus told him to step out of the boat, he would be able to walk to Jesus even though there was a storm and only water was under his feet. So Peter stepped out of what men had built to keep him afloat onto the water. Impossible.
Peter walked with purity of heart. Soren Kierkegaard wrote that purity of heart is “to will one thing.”
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1 John 3:2-3
In Biblical times, the heart was viewed as the throne of the spirit.
And He [Jesus] said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ Matthew 22:37
One will.
We live in a busy world that requires much of us. There is the family, the career, the church, the friends, the neighbors, the school, the community, the nation, the world. How do we love God with ALL our heart, soul, and mind … one focus, one will?
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8
God is holy, and anyone who approaches God must be pure in heart. In myself, I’m not pure in heart. I’ve sinned. I’ve not kept God’s commandments, God’s Law.
The Bible tells us that the price of sin is death, Romans 6:23 and that there is no one who does not sin. This death is a physical death and a spiritual death that eternally separates us from God and all that is good and pure, an eternity of darkness and misery that we could never imagine.
Yet, God loved you and me so much that He sent His Son into the world, so that all who would believe in His Son would not suffer this consequence.
Jesus entered the world as a baby, born in poverty and humility. He grew up in a family with brothers and sisters. He learned his earthly father’s trade, carpentry.
In God’s timing, Jesus began His ministry. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, raised the dead, walked on water, calmed the sea, performed other miracles, and taught the multitudes.
The world rejected Jesus. My sin, your sin beat Jesus so badly, that He was unrecognizable as a man. My sin, your sin nailed the Son of God to the cross. Jesus took my sin, your sin upon Himself. Jesus paid the price of your sin, my sin, and the sin of the entire world … past, present, and future.
Three days after He died, Jesus rose from the dead. He showed Himself to His disciples and many others. Jesus now sits at the right hand of God, speaking on your behalf, my behalf, and on the behalf of all who believe in Him.
Jesus is the Way to a pure heart … the only Way … and He offers this Way to you and me … His free gift … His everlasting gift. All you and I have to do is accept the gift, trust Him, and let Him begin His good work in you.
Like the Psalmist, tell Jesus,
One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. Psalm 27:4
Jesus, I have sinned. Thank You that You loved me so much that You became a man, that You paid the price for my sin, that You died on the cross, and that You rose from the dead to advocate for me in heaven. I want to follow You. I want You to be my Savior. Please forgive me of my sins. Make my heart pure. I want to live my life for You. I want to see You. I want to behold You and live with You forever. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, please let me know in the comment section, and I will pray for you and your new walk with Jesus.
May the Lord richly bless you and keep you.
Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7
This weekend, there was an attack upon humanity. This weekend, evil visited Paris, France. This weekend, the world grieves. This weekend, the world needs mercy.
This weekend, Davide Martello loaded his piano on a trailer and drove from Germany to Paris, a 400-mile trek to unload his piano outside the Bataclan theatre and play Imagine by John Lennon. He wanted to give comfort and hope. He wanted to show mercy to grief-stricken people. Below are the words to Imagine.
“Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today
“Imagine … no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace …
“Imagine all the people sharing all the world …
“You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will be as one”
I applaud Martello for his compassion, his mercy.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Matthew 5:7
“An eye for distress, a heart of pity, an effort to help, in spite of enmity—that’s mercy.” John Piper
Martello is known for loading his piano ono a trailer and taking it to troubled areas. Mercy.
Jesus showed His mercy through healing all who came to Him, teaching and feeding the masses, and challenging the traditions of the religious leaders.
“When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.” Mark 6:34
After His teachings, Jesus fed the crowd. Sheep without a shepherd. Isn’t this the condition of most of our world?
It’s been said that the Isis terrorists want to be part of something larger than themselves. They want to change the world, even at the risk of death.
There are many Christians who are this passionate, many who are in prisons, who are being beaten and killed for their faith. They are making a difference in the world, even at the risk of death.Through their persecutions, their persecutors are recognizing something different about them. Some come to know Jesus. Some become Christians.
Jesus died to pay the price for man’s sin. He was beaten beyond recognition and suffered a horrible death upon the cross … because He is merciful … because He loves you.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
There is hope. God raised Jesus from the dead, and He is our merciful and faithful high priest. He advocates for His followers.
“Therefore He [Jesus] had to be made like His brothers in every respect, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:17-18
I wish Martello had played Amazing Grace.
“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
“T’was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.
“Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
‘Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.
“When we’ve been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’ve first begun.”
Father in heaven, the world is reeling at the evil that just happened. Use this to bring hope to the world, to show the world that Jesus is the world’s Great Shepherd, that He is the only way to peace, the only way to a world imagined with people sharing, people as one, people redeemed. Thank You that Jesus has paid the price for our sins, and He is our advocate in heaven. Thank You for the salvation that You have provided. Thank You for Your mercy.
