12/24/2017
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Just as Moses lifted up the [bronze] serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must the Son of Man be lifted
up [on the cross], so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal
life [after physical death, and will actually
live forever].“For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that
whoever believes and trusts in
Him [as Savior] shall
not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world
to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him.Whoever
believes and has decided to
trust in Him [as personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no
judgment, no rejection, no condemnation]; but
the one who does not believe [and
has decided to reject Him as personal Savior and Lord] is judged already [that one has been convicted and
sentenced], because he has not believed and trusted in the name of the [One and] only begotten Son of God [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, the One who
alone can save him]. John 3:14-18
{AMP}
The next couple of days, people around
the world will be celebrating Christmas. Most will be exchanging gifts with
friends and family. Some will spend time in church watching plays. There will
even be those who refuse to celebrate Christmas at all because of “Religious”
reasons.
However you spend your Christmas this
year is entirely up to you. Let me have just a couple of minutes of your time
to bring to you the REASON so many celebrate the birth of the Messiah, Christ Jesus.
Jesus came into this World of Sin and
Decay in the hope of bringing the Creation of God back into a relationship with
God through His Life, Death and Victorious Resurrection.
While Jesus walked the Earth teaching
and healing, the “Religious” men and women were plotting His death. How sad
that the One who could save their souls from the pit of hell was the object of
their disdain. Jesus knew the Evil in their hearts, yet He continued to Love
them anyway.
Take a moment with me to reflect on the
life of Jesus. Jesus was unruly; He did not adhere to ALL the customs and
rituals of the “Religious” Sect. Yet, Jesus was very “Religious” in that He
taught the Law explaining to the people how to be Free from the Bondage of the
Law. Time and again the “Religious Leaders” question Jesus concerning the Law,
and every Jesus gave them examples of how to be FREE from the Bondage they
continued to try to put on the people.
Jesus took the time to explain to His
followers that we are ALL sinners in the eyes of God, NO ONE gets to escape
that one. He then lets us know that by believing in Him and the One who sent
Him we could escape eternal damnation. The “Religious” Leaders did not like
that fact that Jesus was giving the people a “DIFFERENT” route to God. They
wanted to keep the people oppressed by Laws so they could rule over them. Jesus
freed us from the bondage of the Law through His Grace.
For it is by grace [God’s remarkable
compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually
delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this
[salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the
[undeserved, gracious] gift of God; not as a result of [your] works [nor your
attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his
salvation].For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a
work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually
transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for
us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them
[living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us]. Ephesians
2:8-10 {AMP}
The
Law made it so hard that NO ONE could ever keep all those commands; so God sent
Jesus to Free us from the bondage created by the Law. Jesus became the Law so
all we need to do is accept Him as our Savior. Having become the fulfillment of
the Law means we no longer have to live under the Law but live by the Grace through
Jesus Christ.
We know that we have passed out of death
into Life, because we love the brothers and sisters. He who does not love
remains in [spiritual] death. Everyone
who hates (works against) his brother [in Christ] is [at heart] a murderer [by
God’s standards]; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
By this we know [and have come to
understand the depth and essence of His precious] love: that He [willingly]
laid down His life for us [because He loved us]. And we ought to lay down our
lives for the believers. But
whoever has the world’s goods (adequate resources), and sees his brother in
need, but has no compassion for him, how does the love of God live in him? Little children (believers, dear ones), let us not
love [merely in theory] with word or with tongue [giving lip service to
compassion], but in action and in truth [in practice and in sincerity, because
practical acts of love are more than words]. By
this we will know [without any doubt] that we are of the truth, and will assure
our heart and quiet our
conscience before Him whenever our heart convicts
us [in guilt]; for God is greater than our heart and He knows all things
[nothing is hidden from Him because we are in His hands]. 1
John 3:14-20 {AMP}
Don’t let the Evangelical Christian who
sits in judgment of everyone they deem unworthy misled you into thinking you
cannot be saved because they say so. They sit there in their judgment seats
pretending they are without sin, thinking they have a “RIGHT” to judge others. They
are only fooling themselves and making Jesus out to be a liar, because He told
us we ALL need to come to Him to be saved from our life of sinfulness. We ALL
are truly sinners saved by the blood of Jesus.
If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we
delude ourselves and the truth is not in us. [His word does not live in our
hearts.] If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful
and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and
cleanse us continually from all
unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and
purpose]. If we say that we have not sinned [refusing to admit
acts of sin], we make Him [out to be] a liar [by contradicting Him] and His
word is not in us. 1
John 1:8-10 {AMP}
Jesus called out
the very men who followed Him saying they were evil {sinful by nature} in Matthew
7:11. In 1
Timothy 1:16 Paul calls himself the worst of sinners saved only by the
GRACE of the Lord Jesus Christ. Turning to the Book of Romans chapter 3 we
learn that there is NO distinction between sinners. We also learn that we ALL
continually fall short of the glory of God; this is why we need Jesus in our
lives.
This righteousness of God comes through
faith in Jesus Christ for all those [Jew or Gentile – Heterosexual or LGBTQI+]
who believe [and trust in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s Son]. There is no distinction, since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God. Romans
3:22-23 {AMP}
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that
is, the word [the message, the basis] of faith which we preach— because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His
power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God
raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans
10:8-9 {AMP}
We can sum up
the life of Jesus in these words: LOVE ONE ANOTHER – AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.
Through salvation Jesus places a NEW LOVE for life in our hearts. If we obey
His command and love each other like He loves us then we would never be
pointing fingers of judgment towards other believers who are working out their
salvation with fear and trembling just as you are. Paul’s letter to the
Philippians in Chapter 2 gives us a great example of how to be Christ like in
our daily walk towards the prize of one day spending an eternity with our
Savior, Jesus Christ.
Therefore
if there is any encouragement and
comfort in Christ [as there certainly is in abundance], if there is any
consolation of love, if there is any fellowship [that we share] in the Spirit,
if [there is] any [great depth of] affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind,
having the same love [toward one another], knit together in spirit, intent on
one purpose [and living a life that reflects your faith and spreads the
gospel—the good news regarding salvation through faith in Christ]. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit
[through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility
[being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important
than yourselves. Do not merely look out for your own personal
interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in
Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility], who, although He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One
with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes—the entire
nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already
possess it, or was afraid of losing it]; but
emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only
temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful
dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness
of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and
fully man]. After He was found in
[terms of His] outward appearance as a man [for a divinely-appointed time], He
humbled Himself [still further] by becoming obedient [to the Father] to the
point of death, even death on a cross. For
this reason also [because He obeyed and so completely humbled Himself], God has
highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow [in submission], of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the
earth, and that every tongue will confess and openly acknowledge that Jesus
Christ is Lord (sovereign God), to the glory of God the Father. So then,
my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm],
not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out
your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue
spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution
and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or
discredit the name of Christ].For it is [not your strength,
but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work
[that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the
ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure. Do everything
without murmuring or questioning [the providence of God], so that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God
without blemish in the midst of a [morally] crooked and [spiritually] perverted
generation, among whom you are seen as bright lights [beacons shining out
clearly] in the world [of darkness], holding
out and offering to everyone
the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to rejoice
greatly because I did not run [my race] in vain nor labor without result. But even if I am being poured out as a drink
offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith [for preaching the message
of salvation], still I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, rejoice in the same way and share your joy
with me. Philippians
2:1-18 {AMP}
I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone
who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things
than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My name [as My representative], this
I will do, so that the Father may be glorified and celebrated in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name [as My representative], I
will do it. “If you
[really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments. Jesus answered, “If anyone [really] loves Me, he will keep My word
(teaching); and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our
dwelling place with him. One who does not [really] love Me does not keep My words. And the word (teaching) which you
hear is not Mine, but is the Father’s who sent Me. “I have told you these things while I am still with you. But the Helper
(Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy
Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My
place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will
teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told
you. Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not
let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let
My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and
strength for every challenge.] John
14:12-15, 23-27 {AMP}
Now when the Pharisees heard that
He had silenced (muzzled) the Sadducees, they gathered together. One of them, a lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law], asked Jesus a question, to test Him: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” And Jesus replied to him, “‘You
shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and
with all your mind.’ This
is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as
yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the
best or higher good for others].’ The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two
commandments.” Matthew
22:34-40 {AMP}
I am giving you a new
commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too
are to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My
disciples, if you have love and
unselfish concern for one another.” John 13:34-35
{AMP}
Jesus showed us what He meant when He
said; “This is My commandment, that you love and
unselfishly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you. No one has greater
love [nor stronger commitment] than
to lay down his own life for his friends. John
15:12-13”, with His last few breaths before He died He asked God to forgive
those that put Him on the cross. In those last few moments Jesus continued to
show compassion, even towards the criminals He was hung between. One man even
acknowledged Jesus with a humble heart and Jesus took him to heaven with HIM
that very day. Luke
23:33-43
Let us remember the Words of our Lord
during this time of Christmas celebrations; “Have LOVE and UNSELFISH CONCERN
for one another.”
Jesus became sin, fulfilled the law,
died on a cross, rose from the grave JUST so you and I can be FREE from the LAW
that put so many people in bondage. Through Christ Jesus we are FREE to be the
people God created us to be. God does NOT discriminate – His love for you is not based on
race, color, religion, national origin or citizenship status, sex, gender
identity or expression, pregnancy, sexual orientation,
age, or disability… He loves you just as you are through the blood of
His Son Jesus. Through Christ Jesus the veil that hid the TRUTH of the Word of
God is lifted so we might progressively be transformed into His image through
Him. Praise God for His LOVE that surpasses our human understanding.
But whenever a person turns [in repentance
and faith] to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of
the Lord is, there is liberty
[emancipation from bondage, true freedom]. And
we all, with unveiled face, continually
seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree
of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.
2
Corinthians 3:16-18 {AMP}
If we say that we have fellowship with
Him and yet walk in the darkness [of sin], we lie and do not practice the
truth; but if we [really] walk in the Light [that
is, live each and every day in conformity with the precepts of God], as He
Himself is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another
[He with us, and we with Him], and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from
all sin [by erasing the stain of sin, keeping us cleansed from sin in all its
forms and manifestations]. 1
John 1:6-7 {AMP}
I pray that the Peace of God rest upon
each of you during this Christmas Season.
Blessings and Peace,
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