Tag: Christ

The Mind of Christ

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can have a mind that thinks and understands like Christ. The promise of a mind that can know and understand the things of God is a huge gift from God through our faith in Jesus.

In 1 Corinthians Paul is talking to the Corinthian believers about wisdom and how we can know and discern the things of God.  “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”  1 Corinthians 2:14-16  With our natural mind we can’t know the things of God but with the indwelling Holy Spirit we can understand God and know Him.  The spiritual person is not to be judged by the opinions of unbelievers who consider the things of God to be foolish.  We are only held accountable to God, His standard of conduct is the only one we need consider.  We are assured that the indwelt believer has the mind of Christ.

So what does that mean to you?  As I pondered that thought, James 3:17 came to mind, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere”.   Having the mind of Christ would mean we have access to godly wisdom as described here.   We could have pure thoughts, a spirit of peace in our words, gentle presentation of our thoughts to others, reasonable thoughts not prone to wander or be self-serving,  thoughts filled with mercy,  thoughts that produce good things for ourselves and others, thoughts without bias and thoughts that are always sincere not fake in any way.  I know that having the mind of Christ is a growing process and does not happen overnight.  As we draw near to God we are promised in James 4:8 that God will draw near to us.  The closer we walk with Jesus the more we can think and act as He would.  A mind that is governed by Jesus would be glorifying to God and produce a vibrant and whole life for us.  Consider the words of James today as you go about your daily routine.  What part of the mind of Christ, the wisdom that comes from above, are you seeing in your life?  Where do you want to grow?

guidance

Promise: God promises that through faith we can know Him and have a mind that understands the things of God. Thank you Jesus!

Linda

I am sustained by Christ!

nofearlindaLeave a comment

This last week, Holy Week, before Easter, I want to continue exploring God’s promises about things we have in Christ. What we have goes beyond the things we’ve discovered on the Sunday’s during Lent- Salvation, Christ’s Righteousness, a heavenly home to look forward to, the ability to approach God’s throne and being Sealed by the Holy Spirit. This week we will explore a few more of the things we have because of Christ’s willing sacrifice on the cross and his victory over death.

phil 4 19

Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am sustained by Christ. This assurance of faith is one of my favorite promises stated in Philippians 4:19.  “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”  God knows what I need and Jesus reminded us that He will provide for us in even greater measure than the sparrows. Luke 12:6-7 “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God.  Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”   We are valued by God and He will take care of our needs.  Jesus said this in Matthew 6:28-30 “And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

loves and cares

So it would seem that God will take care of us because he loves and values us.  Why do we worry over our needs?  Being human it is difficult to set aside worry and replace it with trust in God.  God desires to take care of us and He loves us.  1 Peter 5:7 says “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”  Jesus said in John 16:27 “for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.”   How will you show your trust in Jesus today? 

Promise: God promises to sustain us in Christ.

Prayerfully present your needs to God and then leave them with Him.   Let Him do the heavy lifting and care for you.  Be encouraged today- He will provide!

Learning to trust in Jesus more and more each day,

Linda

The Sixth Sunday of Lent, 2025, Palm Sunday

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem the week before Passover and His death on the cross is a wild an joyous event.  I have walked the Palm Sunday Road and it is a very steep hill leading down from the Mt. of Olives that leads to the eastern gate. As I walked that road, I could see this scene in my mind that is included in all four gospels.

Matthew 21:1-11    Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

5 “Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
    humble, and mounted on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

IMG_0505

6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Blessings today as we usher in the final week of Jesus’ life on earth with Palms, Shouts of Hosanna and Praises to Messiah, the Lamb of God, who took away the sins of the world. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can rejoice today at who Jesus was and is and is to come!

Linda

IMG_0513
Jesus entered into the city through the eastern gate that is now closed.  In later times the gate was blocked to keep Messiah from entering,  not realizing that Jesus had already come that Palm Sunday so long ago.

Suggestion:  As you praise God today in worship, choose an attribute of God that you are most thankful for and let God know what it means to you.  Consider- Savior, His Grace and Mercy, Sovereignty, Faithfulness, His Hope, His Assurance of Salvation in Jesus, His granting Freedom from Sin, His Provision or His great and precious promises to you.  Praise His Holy Name!

Knowing and Being Known

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Today’s promise is a small gem that packs a big punch. It is found in John 10:14 and tells us so much about Jesus our Savior.

John 10:14 “ I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.”

Promises: God promises Jesus is my good shepherd and that He knows me and I can know Him.

In ancient cultures shepherds were needed to care for the sheep. There were not fences to keep the sheep in and the predators out. The sheep are not the smartest of animals and would follow anyone. The shepherd would sleep with the sheep at night, lead them to water and pasture and lovingly care for them. He would give his life for his sheep to keep them safe. By calling himself our good shepherd, Jesus is letting us know how much he loves us. He will provide and care for us and He willingly gave His life so that we could be reconciled to God. The passage continues in verses 16b-17 “So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.”

The other promise included in this short verse is that God knows us and that we can know Him. What a privilege that through faith I can commune with God in prayer, feel His love and support and be indwelled by His Holy Spirit. He knows all about me and allows me to come to know Him through His Word, prayer and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Someday we will see Him and be in His presence. Revelation 21:3 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”

What we can know from this verse: God is accessible, Jesus is our caretaker, God knows all about me, I can know God.

Lenten Reflections: Am I looking to my good shepherd for advice, protection and guidance each day? How much time do I spend getting to know God through His Word and prayer?

Because God created me and is omnipotent He knew me before I was even born. I need to study His Word to learn more about Him, to be able to understand how He wants me to act and to think bibically. Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can learn to know God and can rest in His care and love.

Linda

Related Verses: Hebrews 4:16, John 10:1 and 11, Nahum 1:7, Psalm 119:105, Psalm 139:1-3, Psalm 139:13, Revelation 21:3.

Power from Within- in Jesus!

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Many passages in the Bible clarify the role of Christ and what His indwelling Holy Spirit does within our lives. Romans 8:10-11 is one such passage.

Romans 8: 10-11  “But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.“

Promise: God promises to give life through His Spirit and make all believers alive because of Christ’s righteousness.

The old saying goes “nothing is sure except death and taxes.” These verse say that is not true. God promises life in Jesus and all this is possible because of Jesus’ death on the cross. His sacrifice covered your sins and mine. 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.” 1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” Our sins are forgiven and covered by the blood of Jesus. How then are we alive in Jesus? Paul explains in Ephesians 2:4-6 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” This work of grace and mercy from God we owe to our faith in Jesus. Paul continues to explain in Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” Thank you Jesus for this amazing gift of faith and forgiveness.

What we can know about God from these verses: Jesus’ blood covers our sins-past, present and future, the Holy Spirit indwells the believer, faith in Jesus makes us spiritually alive, Jesus is righteous, Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross.

Lenten Reflections: Am I experiencing God’s Spirit within me each day? Am I thankful for all Jesus did for me on the cross?

These are sobering verses when you consider what our salvation and freedom from the power of sin cost Jesus. His blood was shed for me and you. Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can live forgiven and experience His life within me. I am alive in Christ!

Linda

Related Verses: 1 Peter 2:24 1 Peter 3:18, 2 Peter 3:9, 1 John 1:7-9, Romans 6:10-12, Ephesians 2:3-8, Colossians 2:6-7,

The 5th Sunday of Lent 2025, Sealed

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Each Sunday during Lent I have talked about something special we have because in faith we belong to Christ. So far we have looked at: Salvation, Christ’s Righteousness, Our home in Heaven and the ability to approach God in prayer. Today, I want to look at the sealing we have in the Holy Spirit.

Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am sealed by the Holy Spirit.  Ephesians 1:13-14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.  This amazing Biblical truth gives me assurance of my salvation and hope for today and a future with Christ.  It also assures me of where and to whom I belong through my faith in Jesus.  Paul also spoke of this guaranteeing seal in 2 Corinthians 1:21-22  “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”  2 Corinthians 5:5 “ Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” 

What does a seal do?  A seal protects the contents (us) from harmful things getting in and it marks it as authentic.  By being sealed with God’s Holy Spirit we are insulated or protected from the power of Satan over us and His Spirit marks us as belonging to Him, we are His- authentic believers in Christ.  His seal gives me assurance that I belong to Him for eternity and is evidence that He is working within me.  What a wonderful promise to claim in Christ!

What about you?  Do you feel His Spirit within you?  Do you listen when He speaks and leads you away from wrong choices?  Scripture says in Romans 8:16 “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”  God will give you assurance and hope that you belong to Him through His indwelling Holy Spirit.  Believe it, embrace it, and cling to it today.  As a believer, you belong to God and are sealed by His Holy Spirit and NOTHING can change that!  His Holy Spirit gives us an eternal promise with hope for now and into eternity.  Thank you Jesus!

romans 8 16

Linda

Freedom -Available in Christ Alone

nofearlindaLeave a comment

We all long to be free- in body and spirit. We know in reality that we cannot be truly free from the obligations to our society and family.  Jesus offers us freedom of spirit regardless of where we are and no matter the circumstances!

John 8:31-32, 36 “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Promises: God promises freedom, truth and discipleship through Christ.

Where and when do you feel truly free? As Americans, we pride ourselves on our independence, self-initiative and love having freedoms to claim and practice it in our daily lives. As we know our freedoms are defined and limited by the society in which we live. Sometimes we agree with these limitations and sometimes we don’t. We struggle each day to survive and maintain our freedoms within our family, neighborhoods and society. The freedom that Jesus promises is dependent upon Him and not us. We just need to believe in faith and accept the true freedom to live a life dependent upon God. We need to accept the truth of God’s Word and who Jesus is and what He did for us on the cross in faith. We need to accept that we are part of God’s family and Jesus wants us working for Him as His disciples. Working for God’s truth in our world will bring greater freedom than anything we think we can obtain or receive here on Earth. So do as Jesus commands and accept His freedom and be free indeed.

What we know from these verses: faith in Jesus means holding to His teaching, God is truth and His Word is truth, knowing Christ brings truth into our lives, God gives freedom through faith in Jesus.

Lenten Reflections: Am I experiencing God’s freedom from sin in my life or am I still feeling bound by sin? What truths have I discovered about God in His Word?

Being free from the power of sin allows one to focus on Jesus and be one who tells and teaches others about Jesus. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am free from the power of sin and death and ready to live by His truths.

Linda

Related verses: Psalm 31:5, Isaiah 55:7, Luke 14:26-27, John 3:16-17, John 14:6, Romans 8:1-2, Galatians 5:1, Revelation 1:4-5.

Alignment is a Good Thing!

nofearlindaLeave a comment

What has God promised as a result of our having faith in Jesus? What can we expect from prayer? Today’s promise answers both of these questions definitively.

1 John 5:13-15 “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”

Promise: God promises that faith in Jesus gives us eternal life and that anything we ask, according to His will, He will grant us.

When you pray do you give God a wants or needs list? This verse reminds us that God has a perfect plan, and that we need to seek to align ourselves with His plan not our own. True alignment with God’s will produces results in the form of answered prayer. Jesus was our example as he prayed in Matthew 6:9-10 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. ” And again in Matthew 26:39 “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” As hard as it may seem, to produce results for God, we must seek His will not our own. God promises His will brings the very best to us.

What we know from these verses: faith in Jesus gives eternal life, God is accessible, God has a plan for my life in His will, God is sovereign over all things, God wants me to align myself with His perfect will.

Lenten Reflections: Where am I needing God’s will in my life instead of my own? How am I doing in trusting His will for my life?

Eternal life is God’s promise for our faith in Jesus. It begins as soon as we accept Jesus into our lives. The indwelling Holy Spirit begins working on our character and will to make us more and more like Jesus. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can spend eternity with Christ, approach God in prayer and seek to be in alignment with Him each day.

Linda

Related Verses: John 3:16-17, John 4:13-14, Matthew 7:7, Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:27, Romans 12:2, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:8

Presence and Purpose -Always with God

nofearlindaLeave a comment

How are you about seeing things through to the very end? In today’s promise God promises He will always see us to the end and be with us. He has a mission and purpose for us to fulfill as we walk with Him towards the end.

Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Promise: God promises to be always with us until the very end as we go about His work.

Have you ever started a project and then lost heart or got side tracked or laid aside your goal for what you thought was a better one? All those actions and feelings are products of our sinful nature and provided by Satan. He wants us defeated, unfinished, losing heart and getting sidetracked. All those are not from God as He promises success if we walk with Him. We can trust HIm to do as He says and keep His promises. Does it give you hope and encouragement that God is always with you and has important work for you to do in telling others about Jesus? He gives us His indwelling Holy Spirit to help us accomplish His tasks and assurance of His presence with us 24/7. For me, knowing God is always with me allows me to meet each day with optimism and look for God given opportunities to speak about Him with others. Maybe it will a full conversation or maybe a simple smile or hello, but showing God’s love to others by reflecting the character of Jesus is our work and purpose.

What we can know from these verses: God commands us to tell others about Jesus, God empowers us to witness for Him through His Holy Spirit, God is with me 24/7, God’s plans are eternal, God will see us through life, God desires that I teach and tell others, our time for telling others is limited and will end.

Lenten Reflections: Are you looking for opportunities in your day to reflect Jesus? Who could you teach about Jesus?

Feel God’s presence today and be encouraged. He has work for you, a purpose for your life. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I have purpose and His presence assuring and encouraging me to speak to others about Him.

Linda

Related Verses: Numbers 23:19, Deuteronomy 31:6, Psalm 66:16, Psalm 139:7-10, Romans 8:16, 2 Timothy 2:2.

The Way to Life

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Today’s promise is an essential one as it contrasts a life without Christ to one with Christ.

1 John 5:11-12  “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

We live in an age of tolerance and it is not thought to be polite, proper or loving to say there is only one way to God. Many would espouse the idea that there are many pathways to God. God’s Word does not allow for tolerance of other ways or the idea of multiple ways to reach a relationship with God. God specially says that Jesus is the only way to Him and that is through faith in Jesus. Knowing Jesus is the only way to have a relationship with God, have your sins forgiven, to be able to go to heaven and to have an eternal life with God. It is imperative that we stand firm on this basic truth for true salvation demands it.

What we know from these verses: Faith in Jesus results in eternal life and a relationship with God, not believing in Jesus brings death, Jesus is God’s Son who He sent to save us and redeem us from sin.

Lenten Reflections: Do you know Jesus and believe He is the way to God? Are you tolerating talk of many pathways to God or are you taking a stand on God’s Word?

As we can see from our verses, not accepting Jesus as the way to God and embracing faith in Him leads to death. Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Without the work of Jesus we are lost in our sin and definitely not headed for eternal life with Him. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can know God, be forgiven and will be able to spend eternity with Him. Be sure you know Him.

Linda

Related Verses: Jonah 2:8-9, John 3:16-18, John 14:, Acts 4:12, Romans 6:23

For the way to salvation- 1 John 1:8-10, John 3:16, John 14:6, John 1:12-13