Tag: Bible

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

I am God’s Workmanship.

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Because I believe Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am God’s Workmanship.   The verse in Ephesians that describes believers as the workmanship of God was our memory verse several years ago for our church Day Camp.  There are several different translations of this verse that can help shed light on this unique position of believers.  “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 ESV

masterpieceNIV translates workmanship as God’s handiwork

NLT calls us His masterpiece

HCSB says we are His creation

The Living (TLB) says we are what He has made us

The Amphified goes the extra mile adding several words: ” For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus”

Each translation adds a new dimension to the definition of what it means for us to be called His Workmanship.  God created us to do His work in the world.  He even prepared those good things He wants us to do for Him before we were even born.  God desires for us to walk with Him and do good works in the name of Jesus to bring glory to His name.   “And now, _________(put your own name in here), what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. It pleases God when we obey and serve Him.” Deuteronomy 10:12

Living a life that pleases God causes us to want to do good works, and God thought enough of me to prepare ahead of time specific things for me to do.  God’s will is that I accomplish these things for Him and bring Him glory.  He wants me to be a masterpiece or a true work of art in the name of Jesus.  When we recognize that we are not just a dot to God but a whole canvas masterpiece, we realize how much He loves us and wants good for us.

If you were doubting yourself or your existence today, doubt no more!  God has created you for good things and desires that you accomplish them in and through Jesus.  It is a privileged work He has for us in a privileged place. Walk with Him today with  open eyes and heart.  He will reveal what He has for you to do, that only you can do in Christ.

Focus on Jesus and let God make your canvas perfect in Him.

Linda

I am salt and light.

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Because I believe Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead,  I am considered salt and light in the world.  I love the children’s song.  “This little light of mine.  I’m gonna let it shine.”  It innocently speaks of how Jesus wants us to shine for Him.   In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke plainly of qualities true believers and followers of Him would possess.  “You are the salt of the earth.”  “You are the light of the world.” pour-on-the-salt-and-turn-on-the-light_t Matthew 5:13,14.  He went on to explain that salt that loses it’s saltiness and a light that does not shine are worthless.

So how are we to be ‘salty’ in the world.  Salt has many uses.  It is used to preserve, heal, make tasty, and clean up.  As Christians we are to keep Jesus where the world can see Him, in our lives.  We are to heal the world by telling them about Him.  We are to add flavor- purity, honor, integrity and justice to the world to show them who God is.  And, we are  to be abrasive, causing a rub with the sin and evil of the world so they will remember God and be pointed to Jesus.

Likewise, we are to be light where ever we are placed.  Jesus said we are not to hide our light, His light in our lives, but we are to light up the world.  He wants us to shine so the world will see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven.  Light also had many uses- it dispels darkness, allows us to see where we are going and where we have been, it is warm and comforting.  Your presence is a reminder to the world of Christ.  His light overcomes evil and darkness.  His light guides us and shows us His way in the Word.  Light brings warmth and goodness to the world in His name.  Jesus said in John 8:12. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”   Jesus wants us to show others His light as He lights up our lives.

I love thinking about the qualities of light and salt and reflecting how Jesus wants us to act in this world.  Without Jesus showing himself in and through our lives, the world would be a dark and tasteless place.   Where do you need to be salt and light today?

salt missionPrayer:   Thank you Jesus for giving me worth and purpose in the world. Show me where you want me to be salt and light.   Use me to bring others to you.   In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Basking in the light of Jesus,

Linda

 

 

 

I am loved by God.

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Because I believe Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am loved by God.  Christ’s sacrifice on the cross was motivated by God’s great love for me and you.  John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”   Love was what caused God to come up with a plan to save us as He desires to be in relationship with mankind and have us live with Him eternally.

Jeremiah-31-3God repeatedly tell us in the Bible that He loves us.  Jeremiah 31:3  The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:  “I have loved you with an everlasting love;  I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”   Paul describes God’s love for us in Ephesians 2:4-5  “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”  God saved us because He loved us and through His grace and mercy He sent Jesus.  

Cross-Poster-Red-MockupHow do you feel today?  Do you feel loved by God or are you letting the cares, worries and circumstances of life block God’s love? As you think about God’s love today, let your mind be transformed by the love of Christ.  He died for you and me.  Know that He loved us enough to die for us.  God loved us enough to send Jesus to bring us into a relationship with Him.  Know you are loved by God, and it cost Him dearly to show you His great LOVE!

Feeling cherished and loved by God,

Linda

I am a temple in which God dwells.

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Because I believe Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am a temple in which God dwells.   This is one of those mind stretching statements that believers often don’t stop to ponder.  We know we are alive and have a conscience and a spirit within us that makes us alive.  When we accept Jesus as our Savior, He sends His Holy Spirit to join with our spirit and live inside of us.  Why would He do that?   In the Old Testament times the Jews built a tabernacle at God’s direction as a place to worship God but also a place for God to dwell.  God instructed Moses in Exodus 25:8 “And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.”   God desires to live in our midst so He can guide and direct us into right living, but also so we can know and understand God and His ways more clearly.  1 Corinthians 2:11-12  “For who knows a person’s thoughts except Holy Spiritthe spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.  Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.   What an amazing gift God has given us in the indwelling Holy Spirit.  We can feel connected to God at all times, loved and cherished by Him, guided and protected.  I love Romans 8:16 “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,”   We can know that we are God’s child because the Holy Spirit tells us so from within.

How does this fact affect you?  Paul tells us in Romans 8:9 that if we do not know Christ we do not have His Spirit within us. “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.”  Having God’s Spirit living within us and helping us to grow in understanding of Him and His ways is the privilege of every believer.  Paul says we are not led by the flesh anymore but are in the Spirit. To know Christ is to have His Spirit indwell us.  Do you let this fact that the Holy Spirit lives within you guide your words and actions each day?  Or do you ignore the nudging of the Holy Spirit and determine to do your own thing be it godly or not?  God put His Holy Spirit within us to help us to be more and more like Jesus.  Is that you?

walk-in-the-spirit-logoPrayer:  Lord, thank you for your indwelling Holy Spirit.  Help me listen more carefully to you as I speak and interact with others.  Guide and protect me as I seek to be your light in a dark world.   In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Striving to walk in the Spirit each day,

Linda

On Writing “Promises for Dynamic Living”

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After I published my first book, Fearless Living, people asked me if I was going to write a second book. Since I never thought I would write even one book, I couldn’t imagine God giving me a second one.

However, while I was publishing my first book, God gave me a new idea to research. As I was studying the book of Genesis, I began to notice promises that God gave to Abraham that could apply to me. I started searching His Word for promises that I could claim in my own life. Each day, I would look up a new promise, write it in my journal, pray, and ask God what He was promising me through that particular verse. I saw His character revealed more and more and the vast scope of His promises. I became really excited about His promises, and what a difference I could see they were making in my life! I thought, I’m not the only one who needs to know the promises of God, nor am I the only one who needs His Word to penetrate in my life. Through His encouragement, Promises for Dynamic Living began to develop and become alive.

Knowing that pulling verses out of context could lead to error and misunderstanding, I searched God’s Word to verify the chosen passages. Great promises of God are stated repeatedly in various contexts so that we can get the idea and claim the promise. Each day’s devotional promise explains the truths we learn about God and where we can find a similar promise or concept in the Bible. I must admit, this search was a challenge and caused me to think, meditate, and internalize God’s promises, as I saw them reaffirmed throughout His Word.

Through the writing of this book, I have seen the completeness of God’s Word and how He has woven it together to confirm, assure, and build us up to be the men and women He desires. His Word in us glorifies Him, and He longs for us to study and know Him. When I work with young people, I try to teach them that God’s Word, on the pages of our Bible, holds the same power as the spoken word of God, which brought the world into existence.

There is power in His Word and He desires that we know His Word and claim it in our lives.

I am so encouraged because the depth of God’s promises span throughout the entire Bible. God’s promises are not just limited to those things given to us by Christ. God has been in the promise-making business from the very beginning of His relationship with man. He knows us and knows that we need assurance of who He is and what He will do in and through our lives. I pray you will find promises in both the Old and New Testaments to enrich your walk with the Lord and that it brings you assurance of His loving character. May His promises remove any, and all, doubts you are experiencing. Claiming His promises in your life will dispel doubt and fear. It will lead you on the pathway toward assurance and HOPE in Christ.

Blessings,

Linda

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