Thursday, April 16, 2020

Jesus Is The Light That Shines From Within When We Accept Him Into Our Hearts - Part 2497

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28)

But for those who believe in Jesus and have taken on His precious, holy Name in water baptism, we know in whom we have believed and consequently, are fully persuaded that our God is able to keep us from falling into the deceptiveness of this world Why? Because it is He that shall present us faultless before His majesty with exceeding great joy!

The ghostly presence of the Spirit of God persuades us that we are sitting together with Him in heavenly places, and we understand that sitting identifies that the work of our redemptive salvation is totally complete. For we were not delivered from the dark night of sin by works of righteousness which we had done but because of His sacrifice on the cross. (Acts 20:28) For truly, we of our own selves were lost, walking down that road called Broadway -- the road well recognized and yet well worn pathway to sin.

But JESUS our Creator came to our rescue. God who has at different times and in various manners endeavoured to speak to us through prophets, which for the most part have gone unheeded. And then God added a Law, which Law endeavoured to awake us from the darkness of sin. But similarly, the Law eventually also became unheeded. Note that the Law of itself was perfect but we dwelling in prone to sin bodies found ways and means to negate the Law. Indeed, we dressed up sin in fashion that sin would not appear as sin but would be something to be sought after and desired.

Further, the Law was a covenant between two parties -- God and man. And being a covenant it contained demands. But again, because the demands were not adhered to God simply walked out. Even today the other party known as the Israelites/Jews have not come to the realization that God has walked out. 

[For clarity, the Israelites/Jews hardened their hearts against God, preferring instead to worship worldly gods - so it wasn't God's desire to turn away - but rather that His people had already turned their backs on Him. A perfect example is witnessed in Moses -- when he came down from the mount, the people were already worshipping idols -- and in this example specifically, a golden calf.]

Finally, as a last resort God made a conscious decision to become as a man so that we might be saved.  God would become flesh and dwell among us -- again, so that we would have abundant life in Him. (I Timothy 3:16; John 1:10-11; Isaiah 9:6) This God did! However, as before, we rebelled against JESUS -- even as we had previously done to the afore running prophets. This reaction even though JESUS worked miracles, signs and wonders in their midst as had never afore been seen. This response to someone who healed the sick among them. And this hatred even though Jesus turned teh water into the best wine the wedding hosts had ever seen, and fed the multitudes from as little as five loaves and two fishes.

Here was JESUS shining the light of God in their midst, and yet man hated the light for the light shining exposed their sin and they loved darkness much more than light. So they crucified JESUS who was God manifest in the flesh as a Son. In unison, they cried crucify Him, crying "Crucify Him - we will not have this man rule over us."

Still, JESUS was conceived of the holy Spirit being God with us. The Holy Ghost (which is new testament) overshadowing Mary so that she could bring forth a son.

Throughout the centuries, Jesus has loved His creation with an everlasting love. Recall when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden and they hid among the bushes? God upon visiting the garden seemingly could not find them. Then, upon being discovered God exclaimed, "What have you done?" And from that moment on, God set in motion plans to redeem man and woman from a world of sin and rebellion. At the same time, the devil who had earlier been cast out of heaven ruled the world to which Adam and Eve through adherence to the devil's deceptive words had become captives.

But we were never left stranded. JESUS being the Word of God, which Word declared that the SEED of a woman would bruise the serpent  -- this same JESUS bruised the devil’s head. In so doing, JESUS exposed man’s real enemy. In fact, He made an open display, casting demonic spirits out of individual lives and healing all that came to Him.

Read the scriptures for yourself. Come and experience His peace and mercy and grace, wherein guilt and shame is cast aside -- and in exchange, you are filled with His abundant love that bubbles up on the inside -- and so much so, that your life is transformed forever.

To learn more, read what the apostles said in Acts 2:36-47 -- in response to the question -- what must we do to be saved? It's a wonderful read, and even more so offers a glimpse into the peace and joy that the Lord Jesus wants each and everyone of us to  possess - His Spirit dwelling within us.

Stand in the offering plate.

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