At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." - Matthew 11:25-27
Do you know someone who is a “know-it-all” – the person who usually doesn’t accept your ideas or plans, but thinks that he knows better and pursues his own way? That can be frustrating for you, and it may lead you to just stop discussing your thoughts with that person who thinks that he is wiser than you are.
In a way, that’s the kind of situation that Jesus is talking about in these verses. God, his Father hides his truths of salvation from those who have rejected him and think that they know better. In their wisdom they regard God’s Word as unimportant for their lives. They reject God’s plan of salvation through Jesus because it doesn’t make sense to their learned minds.
Jesus warns us not to be “know-it-alls” when it comes to the truth of salvation which God gives us in his Word. Be like little children who hear and believe. The Word we have is from God; the plan of salvation is revealed to us from “the Lord of heaven and earth.” Who are we to think that we know better! We are not so wise to know the way to the Father on our own, and it is impossible for us to find him and please him no matter how learned we strive to be. So God came to us; the true God in the form of a man – Jesus! “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”(Acts 4:12) In the Bible, God has revealed his love for us through Jesus, to make us “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).
How greatly God loves us to open up our minds to know him and our hearts to believe in Jesus as our Savior!
Prayer (Psalm 111:1,9,10)
Praise the LORD.
I will extol the LORD with all my heart.
He provided redemption for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is his name.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.
JAR OF HEARTS........♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Saturday, April 9, 2011
A Good Soldier
"Endure hardship like a good soldier of Christ Jesus."
--2 Timothy 2:3
If the Bible were filmed as an action-adventure movie, the script would read like this: The King's most trusted officer turns renegade and gathers a powerful army around him to lead a rebellion. Through treachery and deceit, the rebel leader usurps the authority of the King and sets up his own rival government, enslaving the citizens of the kingdom. In order to free the captives, the King sends His own Son into the heart of enemy territory with a battle plan more shocking than anyone could imagine.
Sound exciting? You bet. And because you, as a Christian, are written into the script, you almost feel real bullets zinging past your head. The ceaseless warfare is being waged not only for your heart and mind but for the lives of millions of others. The stakes are high. The consequences are eternal.
The story, thanks to the Author, has a great ending: The Son has won the victory. Your adversary may try to intimidate you because you live behind enemy lines while here on earth, but the whole universe knows the truth. One day the Son will be crowned the rightful King of Kings, and the entire kingdom will come back under His domain.
God has given you a battle plan to invade the Devil's territory and retake earth under the banner of your Lord and Captain. You can't fail; God's battle plan is perfect.
That's why you must endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Good soldiers neither question their commanding officer nor desert the conflict. You've been groomed for active duty, so be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. The end of the war is in sight!
Lord, strengthen me to take hold of the sword of the Spirit and the shield of faith so that when the day of evil comes, I can stand my ground.
--2 Timothy 2:3
If the Bible were filmed as an action-adventure movie, the script would read like this: The King's most trusted officer turns renegade and gathers a powerful army around him to lead a rebellion. Through treachery and deceit, the rebel leader usurps the authority of the King and sets up his own rival government, enslaving the citizens of the kingdom. In order to free the captives, the King sends His own Son into the heart of enemy territory with a battle plan more shocking than anyone could imagine.
Sound exciting? You bet. And because you, as a Christian, are written into the script, you almost feel real bullets zinging past your head. The ceaseless warfare is being waged not only for your heart and mind but for the lives of millions of others. The stakes are high. The consequences are eternal.
The story, thanks to the Author, has a great ending: The Son has won the victory. Your adversary may try to intimidate you because you live behind enemy lines while here on earth, but the whole universe knows the truth. One day the Son will be crowned the rightful King of Kings, and the entire kingdom will come back under His domain.
God has given you a battle plan to invade the Devil's territory and retake earth under the banner of your Lord and Captain. You can't fail; God's battle plan is perfect.
That's why you must endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Good soldiers neither question their commanding officer nor desert the conflict. You've been groomed for active duty, so be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. The end of the war is in sight!
Lord, strengthen me to take hold of the sword of the Spirit and the shield of faith so that when the day of evil comes, I can stand my ground.
5th Sunday in Lent
Ephesians 1:1-14 (NRSV)
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus:/
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he
set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.
_________________________
[God] chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.
- Ephesians 1:4 (NRSV)
_________________________
ALL my life I have yearned and worked for acceptance. Getting good grades, working overtime, even accepting unkind treatment from others -- I did anything to win approval. I grew up poor, and my dad left us. I felt I wasn't as worthy of love as other people who came from "normal" families.
Now in my middle years, I understand that even the most confident among us struggle with acceptance. We all need approval for who we are inside. This is why some actors and other public personalities live or die by the whims of a fickle public.
But even if we win applause and trophies, the emptiness we experience can be filled only by God. Why? Only faith in God brings true security. Because God accepts us, we can become whole persons. But this is the work of Christ and not because of anything we have done; we can't be good enough or achieve enough to earn God's acceptance. Out of love and boundless grace -- and regardless of our past, our failures, and our sins -- God accepts us.
Dear Lord, thank you for accepting each one of us as your own. Help us to realize how much you love us. Help us to stop striving for approval and to find our true worth in you. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
God accepts me and declares me beloved.
PRAYER FOCUS:Those Feeling Unacceptable
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus:/
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he
set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.
_________________________
[God] chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.
- Ephesians 1:4 (NRSV)
_________________________
ALL my life I have yearned and worked for acceptance. Getting good grades, working overtime, even accepting unkind treatment from others -- I did anything to win approval. I grew up poor, and my dad left us. I felt I wasn't as worthy of love as other people who came from "normal" families.
Now in my middle years, I understand that even the most confident among us struggle with acceptance. We all need approval for who we are inside. This is why some actors and other public personalities live or die by the whims of a fickle public.
But even if we win applause and trophies, the emptiness we experience can be filled only by God. Why? Only faith in God brings true security. Because God accepts us, we can become whole persons. But this is the work of Christ and not because of anything we have done; we can't be good enough or achieve enough to earn God's acceptance. Out of love and boundless grace -- and regardless of our past, our failures, and our sins -- God accepts us.
Dear Lord, thank you for accepting each one of us as your own. Help us to realize how much you love us. Help us to stop striving for approval and to find our true worth in you. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
God accepts me and declares me beloved.
PRAYER FOCUS:Those Feeling Unacceptable
Loving the Dark
And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
— John 3:19
The Pharisees did not doubt Jesus because they merely disagreed with Him. They doubted Jesus because they were hardened against him.
Doubt is a matter of the mind. Even Christians have moments of doubt. We don't always understand what God is doing or why He is doing it. Unbelief, in contrast, is a matter of the will. It is a choice we make.
The Pharisees were full of unbelief. They did not reject Jesus for lack of evidence or because He was not consistent with what He said. The fact is that Jesus was the perfect example. Even Pontius Pilate, who had examined countless people, said, "I find no fault in this Man" (Luke 23:4), and "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person" (Matthew 27:24). Judas Iscariot, who spent three, concentrated years with Jesus and even betrayed Him said, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood" (Matthew 27:4). So Jesus clearly was a model of everything that He said.
The Pharisees rejected Jesus because it interfered with the way they wanted to live. And that is why people reject Him today. Jesus said, "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed" (John 3:19–20).
People don't reject Jesus because they have carefully examined the evidence and have determined that it is not convincing enough. They don't reject Him because they have read through the Scriptures and have found some apparent contradiction. They don't reject Him because of the so-called hypocrisy of some in the church. They reject Him because He interferes with the way they want to live.
— John 3:19
The Pharisees did not doubt Jesus because they merely disagreed with Him. They doubted Jesus because they were hardened against him.
Doubt is a matter of the mind. Even Christians have moments of doubt. We don't always understand what God is doing or why He is doing it. Unbelief, in contrast, is a matter of the will. It is a choice we make.
The Pharisees were full of unbelief. They did not reject Jesus for lack of evidence or because He was not consistent with what He said. The fact is that Jesus was the perfect example. Even Pontius Pilate, who had examined countless people, said, "I find no fault in this Man" (Luke 23:4), and "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person" (Matthew 27:24). Judas Iscariot, who spent three, concentrated years with Jesus and even betrayed Him said, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood" (Matthew 27:4). So Jesus clearly was a model of everything that He said.
The Pharisees rejected Jesus because it interfered with the way they wanted to live. And that is why people reject Him today. Jesus said, "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed" (John 3:19–20).
People don't reject Jesus because they have carefully examined the evidence and have determined that it is not convincing enough. They don't reject Him because they have read through the Scriptures and have found some apparent contradiction. They don't reject Him because of the so-called hypocrisy of some in the church. They reject Him because He interferes with the way they want to live.
I will carry you Isaiah 46:4
The prophet Isaiah draws a picture for us in Isaiah 46 of the siege of Babylon and the evacuation of its idols. The carts and carriages that carry them creak, and the weary animals groan under the load (v.1).
In contrast, Isaiah says that God carries His children from birth (v.3). “Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you!” God declares (v.4). The contrast is precise and vivid in the Hebrew text: The carts and carriages are “loaded” with the weight of the idols (v.1), but we are loaded upon God (v.3). Idols are a “burden,” a thing carried (v.1), but God has gladly “carried” us from the womb (v.3).
The Lord has made us (v.4). Nothing could be more comforting, for our Father loves and cares for His children. He promises, “I will carry you!” and that includes every care and worry that comes our way throughout our lifetime.
So we may let Him carry us and our every burden. This song by Annie Johnson Flint challenges us to experience God’s care: “Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision, / Our God ever yearns His resources to share; / Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing; / Thy Father both thee and thy load will upbear.” —David Roper
Heavenly Father, I want to unload my
burdens on You today. Help me to leave them with You.
I trust You with my past, present, and future.
Thank You for Your goodness to me. Amen.
Our work is to cast care; God’s work is to take care!
In contrast, Isaiah says that God carries His children from birth (v.3). “Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you!” God declares (v.4). The contrast is precise and vivid in the Hebrew text: The carts and carriages are “loaded” with the weight of the idols (v.1), but we are loaded upon God (v.3). Idols are a “burden,” a thing carried (v.1), but God has gladly “carried” us from the womb (v.3).
The Lord has made us (v.4). Nothing could be more comforting, for our Father loves and cares for His children. He promises, “I will carry you!” and that includes every care and worry that comes our way throughout our lifetime.
So we may let Him carry us and our every burden. This song by Annie Johnson Flint challenges us to experience God’s care: “Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision, / Our God ever yearns His resources to share; / Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing; / Thy Father both thee and thy load will upbear.” —David Roper
Heavenly Father, I want to unload my
burdens on You today. Help me to leave them with You.
I trust You with my past, present, and future.
Thank You for Your goodness to me. Amen.
Our work is to cast care; God’s work is to take care!
Friday, April 8, 2011
What is Sin?
The first thing we need to realize is that we all, every one of us, are not only sinners now, but were conceived and born in sin- sins from our forefathers; generation curse. This sin nature separates us from God, and until that situation is remedied in our own personal lives we will remain separated from Him and in danger of hellfire.
We may not have been doing anything bad or harmful but it does not declare that we are sinless. And the sins caused by our forefathers; the first human makes everyone of us born with a sinful nature and this separated us from God. Only thru His grace by sending Lord Jesus to us and we are forgiven and our relationship with God has been restored.
Our Heavenly Father sent His only son whom is sinless n blameless to be sacrifized on the cross on our behalf, so we are forgiven and may have a chance to restore our relationship again with our Heavenly Father and to enter the eternal feast of the heavenly feast.
We are being offered with a direct relationship with our creator. The creator of this whole universe. May I boldly ask; who has created this whole universe including us? There is only one God. Whom other God has the record or legacy of being the creator of the heaven, earth and this whole universe?
Our Heavenly Father has given us a relationship to talk to Him and listen to His voice directly but why don't we?
We may not have been doing anything bad or harmful but it does not declare that we are sinless. And the sins caused by our forefathers; the first human makes everyone of us born with a sinful nature and this separated us from God. Only thru His grace by sending Lord Jesus to us and we are forgiven and our relationship with God has been restored.
Our Heavenly Father sent His only son whom is sinless n blameless to be sacrifized on the cross on our behalf, so we are forgiven and may have a chance to restore our relationship again with our Heavenly Father and to enter the eternal feast of the heavenly feast.
We are being offered with a direct relationship with our creator. The creator of this whole universe. May I boldly ask; who has created this whole universe including us? There is only one God. Whom other God has the record or legacy of being the creator of the heaven, earth and this whole universe?
Our Heavenly Father has given us a relationship to talk to Him and listen to His voice directly but why don't we?
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