I AM…the Resurrection and the Life

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“I AM the Resurrection and the Life..”  This profound statement was made to grieving Martha at the death of her brother Lazarus.  The sisters, Mary and Martha, had sent word to Jesus that their brother, who Jesus loved, was ill.  Jesus knew he would die before he arrived so he delayed his return 2 more days.   By the time Jesus returned, Lazarus was already laid in the tomb and his body wrapped and spiced.    When they heard that Jesus had arrived, Martha went out to meet him and said,  Lazarus would not have died if you had been here.  Jesus replied, “Your brother will rise again.”   Martha being a good Jew believed in the resurrection of all dead at the end of time and said, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection JOhn 11 25at the last day.” Jesus’ reply to her is life changing. “25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”  Her reply reveals her true belief and knowledge of  Jesus, 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”  John 11:21-27   

Martha believed that Jesus was God and could have saved Lazarus had He been there.  However, Jesus’ meaning goes further when He says He is resurrection and faith in Him will lead to eternal life.  To show Martha this truth, He had her take him to the tomb where they had laid Lazarus.  Then Jesus had them roll the stone away and He called to Lazarus to come out of the tomb.   Lazarus rose and staggered out of the tomb as he was bound in his burial clothes.  Jesus commanded them to take off the grave clothes and let him go.  The raising of Lazarus  brought glory to God,  showed Jesus’ power over life and death and foreshadowed His own ability to rise from the dead.  His power was real and He truly was the resurrection and life to Lazarus, Mary and Martha.

resurrection hopeThis I AM statement by Jesus gives the believer hope in the future as we know our eternity will be with Jesus. It also gives assurance that belief in Jesus and His resurrection power will one day bring us to Him.   Do you  believe, like Martha, that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world, the Son of God?  That belief was life changing for Mary, Martha and Lazarus and is for us too.   Today, ponder the hope you have in the resurrected Christ and the assurance you have of eternity with Him.   Be encouraged.

Linda

I AM…the Good Shepherd

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john 10 11“I am the good shepherd.” Jesus made this bold statement in John 10:11 and 14.  He knew the people understood the job of a shepherd and the sacrifice it entailed.  They were to guard their sheep with their life both during the day and night against wolves, bears, and any disaster that might come their way.  He was their first and only line of defense against the outside world.  Jesus was identifying and claiming this same relationship and responsibility with those who were following Him then and those of us who would follow Him in the future.  I love the passage in John 10 as it gives me comfort and assurance of who Jesus is to and for me.

“11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

Jesus promises that He is the good type of shepherd that will stick with us always.  He was not hired to watch over us but is committed to us because He loves us.  He affirms that He has a relationship with us in verse 14 and He knows us and we know Him.  Jesus says He willingly sacrificed His life to save us and bring us into a close relationship with Him and the Father.  Romans 5:8 puts it this way, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Hand lettering God is good on watercolor heart.The attribute of being good belongs to God alone.  It is His nature to be good where our nature is rooted in sin.  So when Jesus says He is the good shepherd, He alone can claim this as He is God.  Here are a few verses extolling God’s goodness:   Psalm 34:8 “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!  Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”   Lamentations 3:25 “The Lord is good to those who wait for him,  to the soul who seeks him.”  Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good,  a stronghold in the day of trouble;  he knows those who take refuge in him.” Titus 3:4 “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,”    God’s goodness was truly shone when He sent Jesus to redeem us.  He desires to know us and love us.  Through Jesus we can be  brought into the arms of our loving Father.

john 10 14Jesus rightly claims to be our good shepherd, do you know Him?   He knows you and desires to embrace you with His love and care.  Step into His arms today and receive His love and protection and find that safe harbor in Him for eternity.

Linda

A Day of Remembrance-9/11

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9 11As we ponder the significance of 9/11 today, what comes to your mind?  This is the 19th year anniversary of that tragic attack on the twin towers in NY and the Pentagon.  Many of those alive today have no memory of that horrific day and those terrifying events.  The same could be said for December 7th and the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Both bring extreme sadness at the unnecessary loss of innocent lives, the aftermath of the events and their impact on families, the nation and our way of life.  A great sense of invasion and insecurity looms in my mind.

As I looked back, four years ago on 9/11 my new book, Promises for Dynamic Living arrived.  The arrival of a new book you’ve written is a momentous time for an author.  At the heart of this book is hope and security.  God’s Word provides us with an anchor for our souls in Christ and redemption though His work on the cross.   Knowing promises our Heavenly Father has made to us, gives me hope as I know He is eternal and always faithful to keep His promises.  He promised to send a savior and He did in the person of His own Son- Jesus.  What hope we have in Christ! He fulfilled all the promises in the Bible about himself and all questions about redemption are Yes in Him.  We do not need to fear for our future as it is guaranteed by Christ himself.

So what of 9/11 and those fears and insecurities?  Turn them over to Jesus and depend upon Him in all things.  We can cling to Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”    Nahum 1:7  “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in him.”  Isaiah 26:3-4 “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.  Trust in the Lord forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.”  John 14:27  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”    I pray one of these verses gives you added hope in Jesus today.

Living in a troubled world with HOPE,

hope in Christ

Linda

A study in God’s Word that will bring you hope and assurance for living in a troubled world.  Available on Amazon or at Certa Publishing.Promises-for-dynamic-living-cover

I AM…the door of the sheep

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John-10-9Many translations use the word gate instead of door, but the sheep pen used by shepherds was a rock enclosure with only 1 gate or door into the pen.  They would sleep at the door preventing anyone or thing from entering and harming their sheep.  This is a wonderful picture of Jesus as our protector or guardian of our safety.  One we are in his ‘pen’ no one or nothing can ever take us away from Him.

Jesus adds to this idea of guardian by saying He is the door.  John 10:7 -9 “7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.”   When we accept Jesus into our life we have entered by the door- the only door to salvation.  Act 4:12 confirms this truth, “12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”  Many might say there are many ways to be saved, many doors or gates but Jesus is emphatic that He is the only true door to salvation.  He warns that others -thieves and robbers have or will come, but He admonishes us to not listen to their lies and depend upon Him for salvation.

Why choose Jesus?  His door leads to love, compassion, freedom from sin, an inheritance sealed with by the Holy Spirit, life eternal, …. the benefits are many for those that choose to enter into a relationship with Jesus.  He is the only one who can redeem us romans 5 9from our sin-filled state of being, Romans 5:8-9  “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.”  Meditate upon His goodness and love for you today and His mercy in loving you even when you still in sin- He sent Jesus to redeem you!  Praise God! 

Linda

I AM… the light of the world

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Jesus made this claim and it is recorded twice in John.  Once when challenged by the Pharisees in John 8:12 and again in John 9:5 when questioned about the sin of  man that was born blind.

In John 8:12-15 the Pharisees were seeking to discredit Jesus’ claims saying He could not be His own witness to who He really was.  Jesus’ answers are straight forward and He John_8-12_2_turns the statements back to them so that they will examine themselves. 12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.”   Jesus’ statement is bold and shows purpose and direction.  He knew where He was going, what He was doing and why.  He assures us that if we follow His light, His truth, and His ways we will not walk in the darkness of sin but have a life filled with His light and truth!   What a wonderful assurance.  

In John 9 Jesus encountered a man born blind and His disciples asked, who sinned and made this man blind- his parents or him?  “3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”   Jesus assured them that the blindness did not come from sin but was to be an opportunity to show the works and power of God.  Jesus performed many miracles of this kind during His ministry.  Giving sight was a living example of what Jesus can do for us as He can give us sight.  His light brings salvation, hope, understanding of God’s Word, a pathway to stronger character based on Him, guidance and direction.  He shows us the way to God.  John calls Jesus the Word in John 1:1-4 “In the beginning was the Word, john 1 4and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.”   Jesus is the fulfillment of Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet  and a light to my path.”   Jesus is God’s Word brought into our lives to bring us to Him and to be the light by which we can come to God.  Praise God for His mercy and grace towards us by sending Jesus to be our light in this dark world.

Ask yourself,  Am I walking fully in God’s light, letting Him guide and direct my way?  Or am I walking part in light and part in darkness trying to live in the world, keeping worldly thoughts and actions a part of my life?   How can I walk more in God’s light and less in the shadow of the world’s darkness each day?  David gave us a glimpse of an answer in Psalm 119:9-11:                                                                                                          9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
    By guarding it according to your word.               Stay in the Word (Jesus)
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
    let me not wander from your commandments!          Follow the Word (Jesus)
11 I have stored up your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you.                     Keep the Word in your heart. (Jesus)

psalm 119 11Does this describe how your heart looks?

Have a blessed day walking in the LIGHT of Jesus.

Linda

I AM… the Bread of Life

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I amAll summer I have been writing about God’s names in the Old Testament seeing that God is our refuge, our glorious sword, our King, our provider and so much more. As we enter fall, I want to switch to the New Testament voice of Jesus and who He says He is to us.  He made 7 ‘I am’ statements that are equal in measure with God’s statement to Moses in Exodus 3:14  when he questioned God, asking who shall I say has sent me?  God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

Picture the scene that John portrays in John 6.  The crowds were pressing Jesus and asking Him for a sign to show that He was God.  They wanted a tangible sign from Jesus and reminded Him of the manna that God sent to the children of Israel while wandering in the desert.  Jesus told them God had sent them true bread from heaven to give life to john 6 35the world.  Of course, “They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”   Jesus replies with His first of the 7 I AM statements.  Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:34-35  Jesus goes on to assure them further, “36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”     Jesus came to show us the Father, to do His will and hold us as His own.  We never need to fear what man can do as God holds us tighter than tight and sees to our needs.  Knowing Jesus brings satisfaction for your spiritual hunger to know God and to be fed by Him.  

Do you allow God to feed you daily from His Word?  Jesus, the very bread of life, is john 1ever present in God’s Word and John even refers to Jesus as the Word in John 1:1-4 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.”   Jesus is the Word and has the very words of life for us in the Bible.  Read the Word today and let Him feed and nurture you as you seek to know Him.  He will sustain you with pure spiritual food that will always satisfy.   Jesus promises He is the true bread of life that we need for living an authentic life before Him.

Linda

King and Kingdom-are they yours?

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King foreverOne of the images presented in scripture is of God as our eternal King.  This seems like an earthly title but when we consider His kingdom and what it is like, we realize that His reign is way beyond any earthly kingdom.  Jesus tell us in Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”  God’s kingdom is not territory driven but character driven.  Romans 14:17 adds more, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”  His kingdom is a place of joy, peace and dwelling with God.  1 Corinthians 4:20 “For the kingdom of God is not based on talk but on power.”   His kingdom is based on His power and might.  Scripture tells us Jesus is  and will be our king.  Hebrews 1:8 “But of the Son he says,  “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.” 

Jeremiah 10 10David knew God was and is king forever.  Psalm 145:1 “I will extol you, my God and King,  and bless your name forever and ever.”   Jeremiah proclaimed God the living eternal King in Jeremiah 10:10 “But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King.  At his wrath the earth quakes,    and the nations cannot endure his indignation.” Daniel knew who God was as stated in Daniel 2:37 “You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory,”

Today question is:  Who is God to you?  Is He your King and if so do you desire to be a member of His Kingdom?  Meditate on Psalm 145:1, Jeremiah 10:10 and Daniel 2:37 and analyze your own thoughts about who God is and your relationship to Him.  If you find Him to be your King, then think about your life and ask yourself if you are acting like a member of His kingdom.  Are you driven by earthly desires or by wanting to be more and more like Jesus so your character counts?  Jesus desires to abide in us and be the driving force and power within our lives.  We have to relinquish ourselves to Him and desire to be citizens of His kingdom.  philippians 3 20Through salvation in Jesus, we are citizens of heaven, praise the Lord!   Take heart in Philippians 3:20, “ But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”

Linda

Is God personal to you?

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My-Lord-and-My-GodHow do you see the God of the universe?  Is He personal or impersonal in your life? The Bible is filled with proclamations of those to whom God is personal.  I have chosen a few testimonies in today’s blog to whet your appetite for what you can find in The Book!

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob knew God personally.  God guided, delivered and literally wrestled with Jacob.  David depended upon God and tells us in 2 Samuel 22:7 that He call upon God personally, “In my distress I called upon the Lord;  to my God I called.
From his temple he heard my voice,  and my cry came to his ears.”   In Psalm 31:14 David makes a bold proclamation:  But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.”   The list of those who called God their God continues with Nehemiah, Isaiah, and all the Old Testament prophets.  Daniel states in Daniel 9:4 about his own experience with God, “ I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,”   Mary proclaims in Luke 1:47, “and Jn20 28my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,”  Thomas declares in John 20:28, “Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” when he touched the hands of the risen Jesus.  and Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:4 states, “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus.“

What is your statement about God?  Is He personal to you?  Can or do you call Him, My God?  Knowing Jesus personally  is what faith involves.  Our relationship with the Almighty God is one on one.  He is there for me, knows my ways.  He even knows the number of hairs on my head as Jesus said in Luke 12:7 “Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”  He knows me intimately and desires good things for me and desires that I grow in good character as I walk with Him daily.

god-is-personalWill you step out in faith today and call Him, My God?   If you do, He will meet you there and walk beside you each day bringing comfort, joy, growth and well being to your hungry soul.  Invite Him today, just say, Come in Lord Jesus and be with me.  He will answer.

Linda

The Amazing Creator

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creator godGod refers to himself as Creator in Isaiah 43:15 “I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.”   In Isaiah 40:28 Isaiah speaks of the hope that this Creator brings to us, “Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
    his understanding is unsearchable.”    This Creator of heaven and earth, the one who made us and everything in the universe wants to be our King.   Isaiah’s passage tell us this creator is eternal, has unlimited energy and power, is not subject to human weaknesses like being tired, weary or falling away and His knowledge is beyond end.  

Have you ever spent time gazing at God’s creation?  Those things that we make reflect on our abilities, ingenuity, creativity, dexterity, resources and perseverance.  How much more so with God and His creation of the universe.  It speaks of His majesty, unlimited knowledge, sense of humor and creativity, grandeur and power.  Psalm 19:1-2 puts it so psalm 19 1-2eloquently, “The heavens declare the glory of God,
    and the sky above  proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech,
    and night to night reveals knowledge.”

I hope you have had some time this summer to go out and about in God’s grand creation.  Did you reflect on the Creator as you gazed at His marvelous creation all around you?  As summer wanes and we head into the busy fall season with school and multiple activities, I pray you will take some time to think about how awesome our God is and all He has created for you to enjoy.  All creation, including you, is made to bring glory and honor to God, the Creator.  Let us strive today to bring glory to Him in what we say and do.

Linda

Place or person, who is your refuge?

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God refugeHow many times have you said, “God is my refuge”?   These are words that David repeatedly spoke about God.  By definition a refuge is a place of shelter or protection from danger or difficulty, or it can be a person who gives shelter, help or comfort.  David spent 14 years running from King Saul after being anointed the future king  by Samuel.  He was hunted, attacked and driven into the wilds away from friends, family and others.

David refers to God as his refuge, a place of safety,  in Psalm 91:1-2 and 91:9-10.                    ” He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say  to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”                                                                                                             91:9-10  “9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
    the Most High, who is my refuge —
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
    no plague come near your tent.”                    Abiding with God in your heart, soul and mind each day gives you a refuge, a safe place where you can depend upon God to shelter and protect you.     

David also saw God as his refuge, a person who brings protection, help or comfort.  In Psalm 62:5-7 David describes his refuge relationship with God.                                          psalm 62“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
    for my hope is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my salvation and my glory;
    my mighty rock, my refuge is God.       David sees God as the one who keeps him secure, steadfast and is his provider of salvation.

Psalm 59:16-17 “But I will sing of your strength;
    I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been to me a fortress
    and a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
    for you, O God, are my fortress,
    the God who shows me steadfast love.     David is so thankful that God is his refuge providing him with protection, steadfast love and comfort.       

Is this the lens through which you see God?  Is He your place and person of protection, safely, love and comfort?  He can be that and more.  Look to Him today and ask Him to draw near to you and He will just as he promised in James 4:7-8. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, psalm 91 2 NLTand he will draw near to you.”   David repeatedly resisted the desire and opportunity to kill Saul which would have ended his running,  but he did not yield to that temptation and kept drawing nearer to God depending upon Him for refuge.      God can do the same for you.     

Linda