Tag: Jesus

I AM the God who makes you Holy

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Holiness is an attribute of God that he desires that we emulate.  In Leviticus 11:44 “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.”   We can only do this through His power.  In the Old Testament, Moses was instructed by God on Mt. Sinai to have the Israelites observe the Sabbaths and worship Him regularly.  In Exodus Lord who santifies31:13 God tells Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.”   God alone has the power to make us holy.  During Old Testament times they performed sacrifices and brought offerings that all pointed to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus.  Jesus was the great High Priest and brought the need for sacrifices to an end.  Hebrew 7:27 “Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.”   Our pathway to righteous and holy living is through Jesus alone.

So how does one ‘be holy’?  When we believe in Jesus we need to continually seek His forgiveness for the sins we commit daily.  1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”   Coming to God often to seek His cleansing is very important.  Then we need to fill ourselves and our thoughts with good things.  Philippians 4:8 “ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”   We need to stay in God’s Word, Psalm 119:9 and 11  “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.”   “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”   Fellowship with believers, worship and serving others are all ways to immerse oneself in activities that point towards personal holiness in Jesus.  Lastly, 1 Thessalonians 5:22 admonishes us “ Abstain from every form of evil.”   

possibleBeing holy is a life-time growing process that can only be achieved through faith in Jesus.  It is not an option as God commands us “be holy because I am holy.”  We can take heart in Jesus’ words, “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

Striving to be more and more like Jesus,

Linda

A Transformed Heart is filled with…obedience

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Do you think of yourself as obedient?  Do you readily obey your parents, the codes of conduct in your society or even your own heart’s desires?  All of those may be in conflict with God’s desires for your life and the necessary obedience needed to follow Him.  Because we are sinners and live in a sinful world, obedience does not come naturally.  It is against our sin nature to do what others desire of us or even what we desire ourselves for our future since we are rebellious at heart.  So how do we become obedient to God and His Word?  Peter gives us direction in 1 Peter 1:14-16  “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”  God calls us to be holy and to follow Him in obedience.  Peter goes on in verses 18-19 to explain to root of our ability to obey, “knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”  Because of Christ’s death on the cross we become His children through faith in Him and His redeeming work.  We are given the godly motivation, godly direction and ability to be obedient from our heart through our faith in Jesus.   

romans 6 17I love the way Paul explains this transformation in Romans 6:17-18  “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.”  Faith in Jesus sets me free from the bondage of sin that holds my heart and actions and frees me to serve with an obedient heart the Jesus I love.

What about you?  Does your love and faith in Jesus cause you to desire to be obedient to Him and His Word?  Do you find following Jesus hard?  Even Paul stated in Romans that I hate what I dohe struggled to do what God wants him to do because of his own sin nature.  Romans 7:19-20 “19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.”    He summarizes his condition of faith in verse 24-25. “ Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.”  His final conclusion to this dilemma is profound in Romans 8:1-2 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the romans 8 1-2law of sin and death.”   Jesus is the answer and He frees us from our bondage to sin.

May your heart be filled with the love of Jesus today so that you may live with a heart that is wholeheartedly obedient to Him.

Linda

The True Nature of our Hearts vs God’s Power = Victory in Jesus

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God knows the true nature and intentions of our hearts.  Jesus was confronted by the Pharisees as they had observed the disciples eating food without washing or cleaning of their hands.  The Jewish law required certain observances before eating for yourself and the food.  Jesus called them hypocrites in Mark 7 saying they were more concerned about the outward appearances and not about the heart’s intent.  His disciples questioned him after this encounter.   “And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,22 coveting, wickedness deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”  Mark 7:18-23

Lord looks at heartJesus knew the heart of man is where the problems lie.  The Pharisee’s desired to destroy Jesus out of greed, envy, jealousy and hatred.  It had nothing to do with eating ‘unclean food’ with ‘unclean hands’.  Jesus knows our hearts too.  He knows our true motives and desires.  Our hearts are bent toward self-gratification, self-glory, self-power and self-adulation.  It comes from a heart that is not right with God.  An old hymn calls it a sin sick heart that is in need of saving, cleaning and setting right before God.   We can not deny the true nature of our hearts but we can bring our hearts to God and allow Him to transform and make our hearts clean before Him.  Jesus gave us this new way to reconciliation with God.  Hebrews 10:21-23 describes this power, “21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God (Jesus), 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”   Jesus can clean our hearts and minds.  Then we can hold to our faith with assurance and hope!  He can and will root out the evil intentions of our hearts with His indwelling Holy Spirit and mold and shape us to His will and His ways.  First, we need to be cleaned by faith in Jesus’ work on the cross (death and resurrection) and then willing to be molded and shaped by His Holy Spirit.  God’s transformation is complete and 2Corinthians5.17permanent.  He replaces the old desires with new desires.  2 Corinthians 5:17 calls us a new creation,  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”   Praise God for His transforming power!

Praising Jesus and His power to make me new!

Linda

Transforming a Sin Sick Heart

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What is the true nature of the heart?  Scripture teaches the hard truth of what our hearts are like because of sin.  Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things,
    and desperately sick;  who can understand it?”  God knows the nature of our hearts and is the only one who can transform a sin sick heart.    “10 “I the Lord search the heart  and test the mind,  to give every man according to his ways,  according to the fruit of his deeds.”   God searches our heart, tests our mind and will evaluate us according to our deeds.  This does not mean we have to earn our salvation.  It means there will be a day of accounting where God looks at our actions.  We are clean and purified by the blood of Christ, so He will not be looking at sin, but at our heart for Him.   What causes you to do good or hard things for God?  Is it love, devotion, thankfulness, zeal for the gospel?  

I totally identify with David’s plea to God in Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a right and steadfast spirit within me.”  By nature our hearts are filled with sin but God can create a clean heart within us.  Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, we can be transformed by faith in Him.  Jesus is our pathway to cleansing, restoration and hope.  Just like David, we have to desire it and ask God for it.  He promises to renew our hearts and make them pure, and committed to Him.

Will you ask Him today to create a clean heart within you?  It will be a new beginning and a step that pleases God, renews and revitalizes life, and brings hope and restoration.  Ask Him today.

heart inside outPrayer:   Lord Jesus, I believe you have the power to transform my heart and make me clean and pure.  Root out the sin that plagues me and bring me into a vibrant relationship with you.  Create in me a clean heart that will be devoted and steadfast in loving you.  Create in me a new life with new desires and new hopes that are firmly placed in you.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Redeemed and transformed by faith in Jesus,

Blessings today.

Linda

Reject your heart of stone, Get a new living model!

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heartToday I am beginning a new series on the heart.  There are at least 100 scriptures that focus on the heart, so it must be of great importance to God.   I found there are scriptures that talk about God’s Work in our hearts, the true nature of our hearts and what a transformed heart looks like.   The materials I have show the most ‘popular’ verses- people actually voted, so perhaps they were either most helpful, most revealing or most convicting.  I love it that the most loved verses deal with God’s Work in our hearts.  It gives us a good place to begin.

Ezekiel 36:26 is one of the key verses in this summary of prophesies God gave to the children of Israel in Ezekiel 36.  Look at what God said He would do:  22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name…  23 I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations… 24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.  25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I heart of stone heart of fleshwill cleanse you.  26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.  28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.  29 And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you. 30 I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations.”

God said He would do all these things to and for His believing children.  He would vindicate or show the holiness of  His name to them and the world,  He would bring them back to the land (they were in Babylon in exile at the time), He would cleanse them, He would give them a new heart, He would put His spirit within them, He promised them long life in the land and great fruitfulness.  As I read this list of promises God gave them, I realized that some were fulfilled then with their return to the Promised Land but many were fulfilled much later.  Jesus came and brought cleansing and healing through His death and resurrection.   At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was sent to indwell the believers through faith because of Jesus’ work on the cross.  Israel is again a nation and is amazingly fruitful.  It is a wonder in the desert and blooms as God intended under their care.

new heartThrough Jesus’ Work on the cross and resurrection from the dead, we can live forgiven and be filled with His Holy Spirit.  We can have the new heart that God desires for us.  He says in verse 26, He will give us a new heart.  This heart will be soft, pliable and alive with faith and devotion to Him.  With this new heart, we can live for him.  2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”   We are new creatures with a new heart through Christ.  Do you feel like you have a heart of stone?  Are you hard-hearted towards others, unfeeling about the difficulties in your life and their lives, do you shut out God?  Or do you claim a new heart through Jesus that is open, willing, compassionate and loving towards those in your life?

Claim your new heart in Jesus today and watch God transform you and give you a heart of flesh and feeling and take away your heart of stone that was filled with sinful self-desires.  Turn to Jesus and He will transform your heart.

Seeking transformation of heart,

Linda

Knowing Faithful God = Assurance +

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In verses 89-96 of Psalm 119, the psalmist proclaims God’s faithfulness to each generation, to the earth He created and to me-the individual.  His Word is eternal. If you understand the Word of God to be what God says to us in the Bible, you know the truths contained within it are eternally true.  God does not lie and He will be forever faithful to uphold His Word.  If you take the Word of God to mean Jesus, as in John it say 1:14 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” then you know the living Word of God who is eternally with us and always faithful.

psalm 119 90God is faithful to each generation and to the earth He created.  vs 89-90   Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven [standing firm and unchangeable].    Your faithfulness continues from generation to generation;
You have established the earth, and it stands [securely].              They continue this day according to Your ordinances,
For all things [all parts of the universe] are Your servants.  AMP

God is faithful to me vs 92-94                                                                                                            If Your law had not been my delight,
Then I would have perished in my time of trouble.
I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have revived me and given me life.
I am Yours, save me [as Your own];
For I have [diligently] sought Your precepts and required them [as my greatest need].

The psalmist arrives at his conclusion, the only one he feels he can make in light of all the evidence in the world and in his own life.   verse 96                                                                 I have seen that all [human] perfection has its limits [no matter how grand and perfect and noble];
Your commandment is exceedingly broad and extends without limits [into eternity].

What is your conclusion about God and His faithfulness at this time in your life?  Do you see His mercies new each morning (Lamentation 3:21-23)?  Do you cling to the hope yo have in Jesus (Hebrews 10:23)?  Do you know you are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17)?  Do you believe God is good and has good things planned for you (Jeremiah 29:11)?   Do you have peace and rest in Jesus (John 14:27)?  Look into His Word and claim His Word over your life, take His Word into your very being and you will undoubtedly come to the same conclusion the psalmist did.  There is no limit to how grand and glorious God is and His Word stands now and for all eternity.

note-to-self-may-24thStanding on God’s Word is firm ground.

Linda

I am overwhelmed with joy! Blessed Resurrection Day!

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Because I believe Jesus died on the cross and was raised joyfrom the dead,  I am overwhelmed with joy.  I am dressed as a bridegroom or bride, resplendent in my robes of salvation.  With His righteousness upon me, I am like a garden in the spring growing everywhere.   Read Isaiah’s words of prophecy over us in 61:10-11.

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.
11 The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world.
    Everyone will praise him!
His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring,
    with plants springing up everywhere.

Praise Him today for your joy, your salvation and your righteousness.  Through Jesus’ death and resurrection we are victorious and are filled with joy, saved and clothed in His righteousness!  We are in right standing before God because of Him.  Have a glorious Easter celebration because our God is alive, HE LIVES!  HE HAS RISEN, Easter_crossINDEED!   He has conquered the grave and because He lives so can we.

Happy Easter celebrating our risen Lord Jesus,

Linda

I am SAVED!

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john 14 6Because I believe Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead, I am SAVED!  The most important statement this Lenten season is that I am saved.  Jesus said that He was the way to salvation and all we need to do is believe in Him to be saved from eternal death into life, John 14:6 ” “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  He also called himself the gateway, John 10:9 “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.  They will come in and go out, and find pasture.”   Acts 4:12 says that Jesus and only Jesus can provide salvation, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is only jesusno other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”  Belief in Jesus saves us from God’s wrath over our sin, Romans 5:9-10 “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”  

What about you?  As I look at the cross and Christ’s suffering, I realize that He john 3 16suffered and died for me, to take away my sin, so I can live with Him eternally.  He loved me so much!  John 3:16 says it all, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  Belief in Jesus cost me nothing but it cost Him everything.  How grateful am I?  Praise Jesus and thank God for sending Jesus as you prepare to celebrate Resurrection Sunday.  The Love of God has brought us full circle from the beginning of Lent to it’s end- Jesus and His love for us reigns supreme. Jesus conquered it all to save me and you!

Loving Jesus more and more,

Linda

I am a conqueror.

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Because I believe that Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead, I am a conqueror.  I love the verse in Romans that refers to me, the believer, as even more than a conqueror.  Paul stated unequivocally that nothing can separate us from God’s love, and we can conquer all through Christ.  Romans 8:35 and 37. “ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”   37 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”   In Christ, I am even more than a conqueror!  According to the dictionary a conqueror is one who conquers, vanquishes; is a victor.      1 John 3:4-5 also speaks of this “For everyone who has been born of God overcome the worldovercomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”   Being a conqueror in Christ means that you can overcome the evil influences in the world that seek to destroy you and your influence for Christ.  Jesus encouraged all believers in John 16:33 when he spoke to His disciples about all they would endure. 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

conquerorSo what about you?  Do you feel like a conqueror for Christ?  If not, why not?  If you are a believer, you are empowered to tell others about Christ, you are empowered to reject sin in your life, you are empowered to live and walk with Christ daily.  Since Lent is a time of prayer and reflection, why not talk with Jesus about these things.  Ask Him to empower you in a greater way so that you can live the life of a conqueror for Him.

Seeking to live the life of a conqueror in Christ,

Linda

I am a personal witness for Christ.

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acts 1 8Because I believe Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead, I am a personal witness for Christ.  This astounding statement was made by Christ just before his return to heaven in Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  The believers witnessing His ascension were told to go back to Jerusalem and await the coming of this promised power.  Acts 2:2-4a “And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.”  After the arrival of the Holy Spirit the Bible records mighty things done by believers to spread the good news of Jesus throughout the world.  This commission to go to the world and witness to the truth of Him was given to all of us by Jesus.  All believers are filled with the Holy Spirit when they accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior and are to be His witnesses in the world in which they live. 

How does one come to know about Jesus?  The Bible tells us that faith comes from hearing.  Romans 10:17 ” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the romans 10 15word of Christ.”   We have to tell others about Christ.  That is why Paul proclaimed in Romans 10:15 “And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”  Jesus issued the marching orders in Acts 1:8, we are to go and tell others about Him and His great saving love and redemption.  You don’t have to go to a far away land (the ends of the earth) you can tell others in your own home, at your job, in your town, state and country.  Living a life committed to Jesus brings blessing and good news to those around you.  What a privilege this Holy Week to live for Him.  Tell someone of Jesus and His love today.

Living with good news for the world,

Linda