Month: March 2018

4th Sunday of Lent

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This week I was blessed when someone told me their favorite verses were Psalm 103:1-5. Reading this Psalm of David puts things into perspective and reminds me of who God is and what He can do and does for me.

1 Praise the Lord, my soul;
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s

praise-powerMay you let the Lord forgive, heal, redeem, crown, satisfy and renew you today as you Praise Him!   

This week we have seen His love and mercy in new ways as each day we have had another wonder to proclaim: I am the sweet fragrance of Christ to God (3/5), I am a branch on Christ’s vine (3/6), I am a saint (3/7), I am confident of God’s good work (3/8), I am a princess or prince in God’s kingdom (3/9) and I am a child of light (3/10).  I pray that one or more of these has caused you to praise and thank God for sending Jesus who made all this possible for us by His work on the cross and rising from the dead.  Blessed Jesus.

Have a blessed Sunday as you worship.

Linda

I am a child of the light.

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Because I believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am a child of the light.   Paul made this bold statement to the Thessalonian Christians while he was telling them to be awake, aware and encouraged as they waited for the Lord Jesus to 1 thes 5 5return.    1 Thessalonians 5:5-8  “For you are all children of light, children of the day.  We are not of the night or of the darkness.  So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.  But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.”   Throughout scripture light has been associated with God- He created light (Genesis 1:3), He is our light and our salvation (Psalm 27:1), He will be our everlasting light (Isaiah 60:19) and Jesus proclaimed himself to be the light of the world on multiple occasions.  John 8:12 Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  

Being a child of light is a privileged place. It is a state of being that is wholesome, pure and does not have a shadow of darkness anywhere.  The opposite of a child of light would be a child of darkness.  Satan and sin are associated with darkness, and it is a state that leads to death.  Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Without Jesus we are walking in darkness and are not guided by the ‘light of life’.

I love that Paul tells us in verse 8 above “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.”    We have salvation and the hope of eternity protecting our thinking, thoughts and future.  We are to take this place of light seriously and be on guard, awake and aware of the enemy who would love to lure us back into the darkness.  1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”   We don’t need to be afraid but on guard, always standing firm with the Lord.  

called-into-the-light
Choose Jesus and walk in the light!

Stand today and let your light shine,

Linda

 

I am a princess in God’s kingdom.

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Because I believe Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am a princess (prince) in God’s kingdom.  This delightful truth requires that 1- God is King and 2- I am His child.  As a believer in Jesus, the Bible refers to me as a child of God.   John 1:12-children of God13  “ But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”     Romans 8:14 and 16 “ For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”  “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,”   When you accepted Jesus as your Savior and put your faith in Him, then you became a child of God!  

Most of us would accept that God is King but here are a few references to that fact.  David often referred to God as King.  Psalm 47:6  “Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!”   Psalm 95:3 “For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.”  Jeremiah also referred to God as King in Jeremiah king10:10a “But the Lord is the true God;  he is the living God and the everlasting King.”  1 Timothy  6:15 “For, At just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords.”   

So what does all this mean for me? Being a prince or princess in God’s kingdom means I am in a place of privilege and great responsibility.  Being related to the King puts me in His house and sharing in His wealth.  I can have the King’s ear and speak with Him daily and share in the glory of His presence.  However, being a prince or princess comes with great responsibilities too.  I reflect upon the King with my deeds and actions, I have a job to do in being open to His will in my life and I am to deliver His message to the world.  How are you doing as a prince or princess?  Are you just taking in the goodness of God, your King, and not working for Him?  Meditate on your position in God’s household today and ask God to make you the best prince or princess that you can be.  Reflecting Jesus brings glory to God.

Loving being a princess of the King,

Linda

 

I am confident in God’s good work.

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Phil 1 6Because I believe that Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead, I am confident in God’s good work in me.  In Philippians 1:6  Paul confidently tells us “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”  In this wonderful promise we are assured that God has begun something good in us when we accept Jesus as our Savior.  Not only is it a good work but that He will personally guarantee that it will be completed.  His timetable for finishing this good work is when we get to heaven or when Jesus returns, whichever comes first.  God’s promises are eternal and will always be accomplished just as He intends.  The writer of Proverbs was well aware of God’s ability to complete what He started.  He reminds us that commitment to the Lord is required for us to maximize the effect of God’s work in us.  Proverbs 16:3-4  “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.  The Lord works out everything to its proper end—even the wicked for a day of disaster.”  

phil 1 6 patienceI love the thought that my salvation is considered by God a good work.  He loves and cares for me (Nahum 1:7) and wants only good things for me (Jeremiah 29:11).  Therefore, I can live with confidence that God will keep me and use me for His good.  Philippians 1:6 is a great verse to memorize as it will increase your confidence and sustain you when times get hard!  Share it with a fellow believer or be bold and tell an unbeliever of your confidence in God’s plan and work in your life.

Living with confidence and hope in Jesus,

Linda

I am a saint.

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Romans 1-7Because I believe Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am a saint.  This may seem like a very bold claim but Paul used it various times to address the Christians he was writing to in his letters.  Philippians 1:1

“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:”

Also in Romans 1:7 Paul calls it a calling, 

“To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The term ‘saints’ is not one of personal purity but of being set apart by Jesus.  Believers are filled with the Holy Spirit and are declared righteous by the work of Jesus on the cross.  The label of saint is one that denotes belonging to Christ and that the ‘sainthood’ was bestowed in and through faith in Jesus.

sainthoodSo what about me and you?  Do you consider yourself a ‘saint’?   Are you a believer who is willing to step out and be identified with Jesus.  Are you desiring to grow in faith and love for God and others?  If you are, you can consider yourself a ‘saint’- one who is called to that position by Jesus and stands in that position by grace alone because of faith alone in Jesus.  Praise Him for your sainthood today!

From one called to be a ‘saint’ for Jesus,

Linda

I am a branch on Christ’s vine.

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john 15 5Because I believe Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am a branch on Christ’s vine.   In John 15:1 Jesus referred to himself as the true vine and His Father as the gardener.  Then in John 15:5 He includes our place on the growing ‘tree’ of faith.  “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”   Jesus made these statements to His closest disciples and used analogies they were familiar with to be sure that they got the point.  In the Old Testament the nation Israel was often referred to as the vine so Jesus wanted them to know He was the true vine of Israel, the Messiah.  He also wanted them to know that if they disconnect from Him they would be powerless and their lives would be fruitless.  Connected to Him they would live very productive lives that would accomplish great things for God.

abidingThe same analogy is true for us today.  We need to stay connected to Jesus and many translations use the word abide.  1 John 4:13-16 speaks of major benefits of abiding in Jesus. “13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”   Being connected to Jesus, is a privileged position.  His Spirit lives within us testifying to us that He is with us.  God dwells within us and shows us His love so we can love others in His name.  That is why being connected to Him we will be able to bear good fruit in our lives and accomplish much for His Kingdom.  Jesus is the source of our power and by faith we are connected to Him.  

john 15 5 stayConnected to Jesus today,

Linda

I am the sweet fragrance of Christ to God.

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fragranceBecause I believe Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am the sweet fragrance of Christ to God.  Have you ever thought about how you look, taste, smell or feel to God?  According to 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 we have the smell of life to God because of Jesus.   “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.”  The verse also says that to the unsaved we are the smell of death.  Why would that be the case?   The unsaved have no love or appreciation for Christ.  They have no faith in His power to save and are stuck in their sins which lead to death.  Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Through Christ we are washed clean and are sweet smelling.  There is no smell of death or sin about us.  We do not remind God of sin as we are redeemed and according to Jeremiah 31:34 “‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”  The Lord sees us as pure and righteous because of what Jesus did for us on the cross.  

So what does that mean for me? Am I spreading the sweet smell of Christ to those around me?  Do people feel uplifted after having a conversation with me?  Do they see me doing ‘sweet’ things for others without thinking about myself?   Jesus calls us to be self-less in our witness for Him.  As you begin this fourth week of Lent,  remember you are the sweet sweet, aroma of Christ in the world.

aroma-of-christKnowing Jesus and bathing in His Word keeps us sweet smelling!

Linda

3rd Sunday of Lent

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Isaiah’s words draw us into the power, might and care that God possesses and show towards us.

28 Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.   Isaiah 40:28-31

I am praising God for another wonderful week in His Word.  He showed us this week that because Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead we are:   Salt and Light (2/26), helped by God (2/27), sanctified (2/28), His workmanship or His masterpieces (3/1), not condemned (3/2) and citizens of heaven (3/2).  Praise God!

isaiah-40-31Mediate on the power and might of God today and know you are well loved.

Linda

I am a citizen of heaven.

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passportBecause I believe Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am a citizen of heaven.  Our passport to heaven is stamped citizen the minute we accept Jesus as our Savior.  In Philippians 3:19-20 Paul describes our position in contrast to those who do not believe. “They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.  But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.”   Also in Ephesians 2:19 Paul encourages the Gentile believers that they now belong to the family of God-all believers. “So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.”

aliensWhy is citizenship in heaven so important?  Just like in our age, with citizenship comes privileges of belonging to a nation.  We belong to Jesus (Romans 1:5-6), have a future home there prepared by Jesus (John 14:1-3),  we will dwell with Him (John 14:23), our reward waits for us there (Matthew 5:12), our treasures are there (Matthew 6:19),  our home with Him is eternally strong and secure (2 Corinthians 5:1), our inheritance is kept there secure and unfaded by time (1 Peter 1:4) and we have every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).  All these privileges are ours  because we know Christ and are citizens of heaven.  Through our faith in Jesus, we live in this world but our real home and allegiance is in heaven to our heavenly Father.  Jesus warned us that we would struggle with the world and sin but that He has overcome the world.  Victory is ours through Christ.  1 John 5:4-5 “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.  And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.”

ephesians 2 19Privileged to be a citizen of heaven,

Linda

I am not condemned.

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Because I believe Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am not condemned.  Romans 8:1 is one of my all time favorite verses.  It brings the truth of the gospel and what it means to me into reality.  “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  Because of what Jesus did on the cross, paying the penalty for my sins, and my faith in His saving power, I am no longer subject to the condemnation or guilty charge brought on by my sins.  The Amplified Bible romans 8 1adds to this verse and makes it really clear.  “Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior].”   Without Christ dying on the cross and rising from the dead, we would still be under the penalty of sin, which is death.  Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  My faith in Jesus puts me in a privileged category of No Condemnation!  When God looks at me, He sees the blood of Jesus covering me and not my sins.  I am free from the penalty which I deserve for my sinfulness by God’s grace and mercy.  He sent Jesus to take my place and redeem me. In addition, He has given me the gift of eternal life with Him.  What a magnificent and merciful God we serve!

As you ponder this truth today, praise and thank Jesus for His redeeming work on the cross.  What better thoughts to have this Lenten season than praise and thankfulness for the sacrifice that Jesus made on for each of us.  He broke the chains of sin for us and we are free to live without condemnation.  This song of Zach Williams reminds me of my true freedom through Christ.

Praising the Savior,

Linda