Category: Put it on me Please, Lord Jesus

Living in the Light of Jesus, daily!

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For those of you who follow me, I apologize for the error in yesterday’s blog. Once I publish something, I can update it but it still is sent out to you without the correction. Going online and pulling it up brings up the corrected blog. I use 1 Corinthians 9:12 not 12:9. Hopefully, it did not interfere with the message as the scripture was written correctly.

Today I am looking at 1 Thessalonians 5:8 “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.” This is a great verse with very clear message of what we are to ‘put on’ as believers. Paul is talking in this passage about Christ’s return and our belonging to His light as we not longer live in the darkness of sin. Verse 5, “You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.” We can live each day in His light assured that we belong to Him. I love 1 John 1:5 “This is the message we have heard from him (Jesus) and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

Since we are children of His light, we are to put on faith and love and live with a knowledge of the hope we have in Jesus. Each day when you rise, greet the day with ‘God morning Lord’. You are assured that He is with you and that in His love He cares for you. Our faith in Jesus lets the love of God into our lives and brings with it hope for each day and for eternity with Him. Paul uses the analogy of armor in this verse. Our faith in Jesus protects our heart and the hope we have in him covers our minds as protection against the attacks of the world and its unbelief. We can live assured that Jesus has us covered. What a great way to live!

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can live each day in His light filled with His love and hope. May you rise each day and put on faith knowing with it comes His love, His protection and light for living that very day.

Linda

Paul, “It was Worth it!” Agree?

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The Apostle Paul uses put in a new context in today’s passage. 1 Corinthian 9:12 comes in the midst of a passage where Paul is reasoning that missionaries deserve to be paid or supported for their work. Just as Jewish priests were given food and clothing, so those that serve Christ preaching and teaching deserve to be cared for.

 “If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?

But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.“

Paul is saying that they may have the right to support, but they did not insist upon it. They suffered and put up with less so that the gospel of Christ would go forward. He was not bragging, but simply stating the fact that he was compelled to preach the gospel. In verse 16 Paul says, “Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. ” His motivation was pure, without complications, as He presented the gospel so that others might know Christ and be redeemed.

What is your motivation for telling others about Christ? Paul was so driven to tell others he could not, not tell them. His desire was for them to know Christ, to be freed from the bondage of sin, to have the eternal assurance of salvation and to have hope for living each day. This was what drove him to tell as many as he could, regardless of the danger or hardships to himself. Do you want others to be free in Christ? Do you want to see them in eternity worshipping and rejoicing with Jesus?

Consider this, Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am compelled to speak of the love of Jesus, to speak of His redeeming power and to speak of the assurance I have of spending eternity with Him. Think about this in the context of John 13:34-35 ““A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Are you compelled to speak out for Jesus because of your love for Jesus and for those who need to know Him? Are you willing like Paul, to put up with anything so that others can know Him? As Christians we need to be willing to put up with the world’s attitude and rejection, so that someone may come to know Jesus as their Savior. As Paul reasoned, “it is worth it.”

Linda

1st Sunday of Lent, 2022

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As you attend church today, meditate on the first 6 verses of Psalm 139. They are precious and reveal much about who we are and who God is. He is to be praised.

You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

May you realize today that God knows you, all about you. Can you even imagine such knowledge? When you couple Psalm 139 with Nahum 1:9 The Lord is good,
    a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him,

and Psalm 23:1-3 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.

you get a picture of our loving God who knows and cares for YOU.

Have a blessed Sunday.

Linda

Entangled with the Vipers or Walking with Jesus?

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Today’s challenge to our faith comes from Acts 28. It is an amazing story involving a poisonous snake and Paul. They had just come ashore safely after being shipwrecked. They were wet and cold. Here is the scene on the island of Malta.

Acts 28:3-6 3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

Paul was simply putting sticks onto the fire when he was bitten. He was living life on his way to Rome as a prisoner. What do you think went through his mind? Certainly not panic as there is no indication from scripture that he even gave it a thought. He simply brushed the snake off into the fire. Those around him were sure the poisonous snake bite was a judgement for wrongs he had done. When he did not die, they had to come up with another theory and decided he must be a god. Paul later refuted their thoughts and spoke of Jesus. Because of how he had lived, they were willing to listen to what he had to say.

What actions of the world are you putting off, casting away as you seek to live each day for the Lord? Do you reject enticing entertainment, reject getting involved in gossip or do you seek to serve the Lord before your career? There are many ways we can put off the worldly pursuits and stay focused on what God wants us to do. Paul’s mind was on his trip to Rome and facing Caesar. But, he took time to heal the sick on Malta and tell those around him about Jesus before they sailed again.

Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can remain focused on him in this sin-filled world and proclaim His good news. Where is your focus today? On the viper’s bite and the harm that can come to you? Or on the hope you have in Jesus? Who do you need to tell about Jesus today? Where do you need to add fuel to the fire and build up someone who needs the warm fire of Jesus’ love? Don’t be afraid of the vipers. God promises to deal with them.

Linda

Are You Shining or Hiding?

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In my search for the word put and put on in scripture, I encountered various ways we are to put on the character of Jesus. It stimulated my thinking and gave me the inspiration for this “Put it on me please, Jesus” Lenten series. Today’s scripture from Matthew 5:14-16 causes us to stretch our thinking and directly applies to our witness in the world.

 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Jesus is telling us that our witness to the world is all about His light of truth, wisdom, salvation and eternal hope. He wants us to shine for Him. In verse 15, Jesus tells us where we are not to put our light of faith. We are not to hide it where it cannot shine. Jesus is explicitly telling us to put the light of our faith in Him on display for everyone to see. How can it do any good for others if it is hidden? The good things we do are to be shown and done in His name. When we do them, we are glorifying Him.

This begs the question, Is your light shining? Have you put it under someone or something so that your witness for Him is not evident? What good is our faith in reaching others with the power of the gospel if we don’t seek to ignite others with our faith.

Consider this, Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, I have the light of truth to share with others and He will use me and my light of faith to bring Him glory. Jesus reassures us in John 8:12 that He is the light and His way leads to life. “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Seek to show His light each day as you pray and witness to others with acts of love and service. His light will illuminate your life and those around you, as you seek to emit His light.

Linda

Are you clothed in His Righteousness?

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I am starting my “Put it on me please, Lord Jesus” Lenten journey in Isaiah 61. At the beginning of this chapter Jesus is speaking of himself, veses1-2, and then the text begins to describe believers and how they will reflect God’s glory in heaven. Isaiah 61:3 To all who mourn in Israel,
    he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
    festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
    that the Lord has planted for his own glory. I love the thought that God has designed and intended for me to be covered in His righteousness and to be a great oak bringing Him glory.

In verse 10, God describes the joyousness of my salvation. “I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!     For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation  and draped me in a robe of righteousness.
I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding
    or a bride with her jewels.”

How thankful are you for your salvation? Your hope of eternal life with Him is secured by the Holy Spirit and begins the day you accept His gracious gift of salvation through faith in Jesus. Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am clothed in His righteousness, pure and holy before God. Faith in Jesus assures me of the proper clothing when I stand before God. Thank you Jesus!

Take time today to thank Jesus for his sacrifice on the cross that makes your salvation possible so that you are covered in His righteousness. Without Jesus we are lost. Jesus accomplished this for us, for all time. Hebrews 10:10 “For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.” 1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” We are healed and freed from the bondage of sin through Jesus’ death on the cross. Believe and be freed in Jesus.

Linda

Lent…Our Lenten journey will begin on Ash Wednesday (Hey, that is tomorrow!)

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Are you ready to begin your 6 week journey towards the cross? Here are some suggestions by Pope Francis that I found thought provoking and challenging. I have posted his words before and find them so right for this moment on the eve of Lent. I’ll begin my blog posts of my Lenten journey called “Put it on me Please, Lord Jesus” tomorrow. Let Pope Francis’ words motivate you as you seek to prepare your heart and mind for this time of reflection, repentance and thanksgiving.

Be prepared- pray and think about fasting from one of the above during this Lenten season. I will challenge you even more on the first day of Lent.

Linda