"I, even I, am the Lord; and beside Me there is no Saviour." (Isaiah 43:11)
Thus saith the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; "I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known Me.
I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside Me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known Me: that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:1-6)
Know that there is no other Saviour beside Me, saith the Lord. Thus, as the Lord hath declared, "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46:10)
We see this on the cross, wherein Jesus became the perfect sacrifice, so that we might have abundant life in Him. After the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared. (Titus 3:4-7) "... but hath in due times manifested His Word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour." (Titus 1:3)
" ... to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen." (Jude 1:25)
Indeed, "what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew Him not." (I John 3:1)
Almighty God, even the Lord our Saviour, has spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof the perfection of beauty. (Genesis 1:1) Therein, does God shine. This is why we delve into reading the Bible, so that we can become grounded in the Rock which is Christ. Because all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (II Timothy 3:16)
Similar to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and by extension all humanity -- you and I -- our Lord God and Saviour desires that we become complete in Him as a consequence of His grace and mercy. Fulfilled. Joyous. Complete in the knowledge and wisdom that our Lord God and Saviour Jesus loves us beyond measure.
"Oh taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man [or woman] that trusts in Him." (Psalm 34:8)
When we believe in Jesus by faith, we can be confident in this God-intended completeness that has been decided since the beginning. His purpose written in our hearts whilst we were still in our mother's womb. Even before the universe as we know it was shaped, He loved us. When we open the scriptures, we begin to understand that the written Word -- God in the flesh according to I John 5:7-- established Jesus the Christ as the Head of the body of Christ church.
Almighty God, even the Lord our Saviour, has spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof the perfection of beauty. (Genesis 1:1) Therein, does God shine. This is why we delve into reading the Bible, so that we can become grounded in the Rock which is Christ. Because all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (II Timothy 3:16)
Similar to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and by extension all humanity -- you and I -- our Lord God and Saviour desires that we become complete in Him as a consequence of His grace and mercy. Fulfilled. Joyous. Complete in the knowledge and wisdom that our Lord God and Saviour Jesus loves us beyond measure.
"Oh taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man [or woman] that trusts in Him." (Psalm 34:8)
When we believe in Jesus by faith, we can be confident in this God-intended completeness that has been decided since the beginning. His purpose written in our hearts whilst we were still in our mother's womb. Even before the universe as we know it was shaped, He loved us. When we open the scriptures, we begin to understand that the written Word -- God in the flesh according to I John 5:7-- established Jesus the Christ as the Head of the body of Christ church.
The scriptures similarly establish that Jesus alone saves. That salvation is in Him -- Jesus our Lord God and Saviour -- that the safety of the members of His body depends. For it is Jesus the Christ who loves the church -- His betrothed bride. It was Jesus the Christ that surrendered His own sinless body of flesh up to death for His betrothed. It was Jesus the Christ who counted His own sinless flesh body to be incomplete without the companionship of His betrothed.
Certainly, creation alone could not break the shackles of sin that had engulfed His one and only love. We know this from the prophecies and journeys elaborated on within the Old Testament. We also know that salvation required -- indeed demanded -- that any redemption plan that would save humanity had to include a pure righteous man. This is why Jesus laid down His sinless flesh on a cross for you and I. In so doing, Jesus rescued His betrothed, sanctifying and cleansing her.
His betrothed church body -- holy -- purifying and consecrating her. As a consequence, Jesus made her body free from all sin. The Spirit of God washed His own redeemed betrothed church body with the washing of the water of His indwelling. Loving words of His declared promises. She in turn willingly submitting to His words of love, and even following Him to death.
Certainly, creation alone could not break the shackles of sin that had engulfed His one and only love. We know this from the prophecies and journeys elaborated on within the Old Testament. We also know that salvation required -- indeed demanded -- that any redemption plan that would save humanity had to include a pure righteous man. This is why Jesus laid down His sinless flesh on a cross for you and I. In so doing, Jesus rescued His betrothed, sanctifying and cleansing her.
His betrothed church body -- holy -- purifying and consecrating her. As a consequence, Jesus made her body free from all sin. The Spirit of God washed His own redeemed betrothed church body with the washing of the water of His indwelling. Loving words of His declared promises. She in turn willingly submitting to His words of love, and even following Him to death.
Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice ..." (John 10:27)
Jesus said, "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be One fold, and One Shepherd." (John 10:16)
The Spirit of God then -- desirous to present to Himself a glorious church-body. His betrothed as a beautiful splendid bride -- a bride who has not one spot or wrinkle, blots or disfigurements. This redeemed church body -- the betrothed bride of Christ -- became His purchased possession. Now born again. Now faultless and perfect. The Spirit of God which was in Christ loves His betrothed body. He loves His betrothed bride even as He loved His own flesh. For indeed, she was His own flesh. She was created in the beginning for Him. She was the flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone.
Furthermore, there were no limits to His love. There was no orders to her to do this or else. In fact, Jesus did not just talk the talk. He also walked the walk too. For the God who created us, there was no mountain high enough or valley deep enough to keep the Holy Spirit from His betrothed. So Jesus sacrificed His own natural body in order to woe her back from the house of bondage. He willingly sacrificed His own sinless body. He endured all things. Now that is love.
That is, He brought His grace to man. Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary. His divine love so that you and I would be the betrothed bride of Christ. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him and will sup with him and he with me." (Revelation 3:20)
The Spirit of God then -- desirous to present to Himself a glorious church-body. His betrothed as a beautiful splendid bride -- a bride who has not one spot or wrinkle, blots or disfigurements. This redeemed church body -- the betrothed bride of Christ -- became His purchased possession. Now born again. Now faultless and perfect. The Spirit of God which was in Christ loves His betrothed body. He loves His betrothed bride even as He loved His own flesh. For indeed, she was His own flesh. She was created in the beginning for Him. She was the flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone.
Furthermore, there were no limits to His love. There was no orders to her to do this or else. In fact, Jesus did not just talk the talk. He also walked the walk too. For the God who created us, there was no mountain high enough or valley deep enough to keep the Holy Spirit from His betrothed. So Jesus sacrificed His own natural body in order to woe her back from the house of bondage. He willingly sacrificed His own sinless body. He endured all things. Now that is love.
That is, He brought His grace to man. Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary. His divine love so that you and I would be the betrothed bride of Christ. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him and will sup with him and he with me." (Revelation 3:20)
Stand in the offering plate.
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