Jesus' Abundance for You and I - Part 530

Abundance! Seemingly just a simple word in terms of the constructs of our world and yet so full of meaning. Indeed, the dictionary defines abundance as 1. a copious supply; a great amount or 2. fullness or benevolence from the abundance of my heart or 3. as a degree of plentifulness. The King James version of the Bible adds to the definition of abundance citing plentiful; in great quantity; fully sufficient; as an abundant supply - never ending, abounding; having in great quantity; overflowing with more than the eye can see or fathom to the list.

But more importantly than words attempting to define abundance is that believers in Jesus know first hand the abundance that is Jesus. You see, as a believer in Him, we could never doubt a God -- our Lord and Saviour -- whose hands hold the universe? Why should we? As the Word declares in Luke, "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows."

Think about this. Our God who the scriptures state uses the earth as His footstool -- the entire globe as His footstool -- loves us -- you and I -- so much that He knows even the most minute detail about you and I. Including the number of hairs on our head. He knows where we are in our journey. He is aware of our every need.

Luke 12 continues. "Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven, how much more will He [the Lord of lords and King of Kings] clothe you?"

There is a song by Janet Paschall entitled, "I've Been Through Enough" that speaks to this very point. It is copied below for your edification and enjoyment. In the interim, seek the Kingdom of God. Let Jesus array you with His abundance which is goodness and truth. Focus your treasures on Jesus who loved us enough to shed His blood on Calvary so that we would have life -- abundantly! Stand in the offering plate!

I'VE BEEN THROUGH ENOUGH" BY JANET PASCHALL 

When I first began to walk with the Lord, 
I did not really trust Him, 
How He longed for me to understand that I could 
So thru the valley, He lead me, afraid as I could be, 
Until I felt His loving arms, embracing me. 

I've been through enough to know, He'll be enough for me 
He's come through too many times 
That puts my mind at ease, for good 
I'll stake my very life, He's gonna take care of me, 
Cause I've been through enough to know, He'll be enough for me. 

How could I ever doubt a God whose hands hold the universe, 
Why would I ever question His ability, 
There's no place that I can go, where He doesn't know, 
The things that trouble me 
He's always aware of where I am and what I need. 

I believe Him now, after all these years, 
He's been so faithful He's proven to be true, 
Nevermore will I doubt or question why 
Cause I've seen them all before and I know what God can do. 

I've been through enough to know, He'll be enough for me 
He's come through too many times 
That puts my mind at ease, for good 
I'll stake my very life He's gonna take care of me, 
Cause I've been through enough to know, He'll be enough for me. 

Jesus Peace Flowing in You - Part 529

Let His peace rule in your hearts and be thankful. Indeed, let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord of lords and King of kings.

For our hope, according to Collosians chapter one is in Jesus. Be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding "that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness. Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints" -- you and I -- the believers in Jesus. 

Why? Because it is Jesus who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom. It is in Jesus that we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins. 

"Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. For by Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers of all things were created by Him and for Him, and He is before all things and by Him all things consist ... and it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell." 

Through His blood shed on the cross, we are able to make peace with God our Saviour -- so that you and I could be presented as holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight. This is the day that God has made. Continue in the faith - "grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel." Jesus has made this day for you! Stand in the offering plate!

Following Jesus - Part 528

Jesus said in Matthew 4:19, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." And the fishermen that heard Him straightway left their nets to follow Jesus. For them, the decision was easy. Jesus was their hope and salvation. But they were not the only ones, as we read further in this passage. In Galilee, where Jesus went about "teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people, His fame spread.

And they brought unto Him all sick people that were taken with diverse diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy, and He healed them. And there followed Jesus great multitudes.

In Matthew 11 too, "the blind receive their sight and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them." You see, the people recognized that one cannot live by bread alone. Throughout the scriptures, we find examples of people wanting to know our God and Saviour Jesus.

Indeed, let our faith be like the woman out of Canaan who cried out unto Jesus in Matthew chapter 15, "Have mercy on me O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil." In the beginning of this passage, as noted, Jesus did not immediately respond to the woman. Not a word.

In fact, at one point, His disciples wanted to send the woman away "for she crieth after us." But Jesus knew that this woman had faith. She knew who the Master was. Jesus told the disciples, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Upon hearing these words, the woman came and worshipped Jesus. She said, "Lord, help me!"

Still, Jesus answered the woman saying, "It is not meet to take the children's bread and to cast it to the dogs."  But she said, "Truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Master's table." Jesus then said unto her, "O woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt." And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

The woman knew that we could not live by bread alone. We need every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. In other words, like the examples of the woman and fishers above, Jesus wants us to worship Him. The only "begotten" of the Father. The Lord thy God who created our world in Genesis now in flesh, bringing His plan of salvation to you and I. I the Lord thy God have become your Saviour.

This is why we intertwine ourselves with the Word -- the Bible -- Jesus Himself so that we too can know our God and Saviour. Jesus - the only name under heaven whereby we can be saved. Jesus - the only mediator between God and man. Jesus - the lily of the valley. Jesus - who said, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest."

Rest in Jesus. Know that Jesus is more than enough for you and I. No more searching for answers. For the Lord of heaven and earth is revealing unto us -- believers in Jesus -- His kingdom. Jesus wants to bless you today! Stand in the offering plate.

Jesus - The One and Only God - Part 527

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.  There is indeed only one  God in Heaven. His name is Jesus! He is the prophesied Messiah, foretold by the prophets in the Old Testament. The righteous one. The only "begotten" son.  While on earth, Jesus -- both human and divine -- was the Son of the living God. 

Matthew 16:16-17 confirms this when Jesus said to Simon Barjona - "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven." 

But there is no confusion in the Word. The scriptures similarly reveal that the Father was in Christ. "I and my Father are one." Or the scriptures found in John 14:10-12: "Believest thou me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. The words that I speak unto you "I speak not of  myself but the Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works." Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believes on Me, the works that I do shall He do also; and greater works than these shall He do; because I go unto my Father. [Therefore,] whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye ask anything in my name, I will do it."

"To wit, God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them [but] hath commuted us unto the Word of reconciliation." (I Corinthians 5:19) In John 14:20, "I am in my Father and ye in me and I in you."

"For there are three that bear record in Heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one." (I John 5:7) There is no other God beside me. 

We know from reading John's writing that He that is begotten of God sinneth not, but "He that is begotten of God keepeth Himself and that wicked one toucheth Him not." The Son of God is come, and "hath given us an understanding that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life." (I John 5:18-20)

Still, I Timothy 3:16 puts it all into perspective. "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness. "God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." 

"In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." Later in John 1:14, this is further clarified when John wrote, "and the Word became flesh." There is only one God, and He became as one of us so that we might be restored to Him. I am the Lord thy God. This same Lord thy God became our Saviour - Jesus.

For God so loved the world. More importantly, for God so loved you and I that Jesus would never leave us comfortless. Jesus said, "I will come to you." Ask Jesus into your life today. Stand in the offering plate!

We Are His Betrothed Body - Part 526

Walk in love as Jesus has also loved us and hath given Himself for us. There is no limit to the love of Jesus. No boundaries or conditions or hoops to jump through. Indeed, Jesus gave Himself as an offering and a sacrifice. Therefore, when the crimson flow fell to the earth below, it was not the blood of an institution or religious organization. No, it was the blood of the Holy Spirit - the Holy Spirit of Jesus - that flowed. He alone is the Head of the church. The church being the body of Christ. 

The written Word establishes that Jesus the Christ is the Head of the church and the Saviour of the body. (Ephesians 5:23) The Word also establishes that it is He alone that saves. It was Jesus who counted His own sinless flesh body to be incomplete without the companionship of His betrothed. Therefore, in Him the safety of the body of Christ depends. For it is Christ who loves the church -- the betrothed bride. 

Why is it this way? Because the demands of redemption required a righteous man. This is why Jesus laid down His sinless flesh. And why, in so doing, Jesus rescued His betrothed, sanctifying and cleansing her.  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, even following Him to death.

In these latter days, the Spirit of God is desirous to present to Himself a glorious, church body. His betrothed as a beautiful splendid bride - without spot or wrinkle. This redeemed church body - the betrothed bride of Christ - became His purchased possession. Born again. As a consequence, faultless and perfect.

The Spirit of God which was in Christ loves His betrothed body. She was the flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone. She was created in the beginning for Him. To fellowship with the God who created us. Jesus sacrificed His own natural body in order to woe her out of bondage. He willingly sacrificed His own sinless body. He endured all things for you and I.

Now that is love. No one ever cared for His betrothed bride like Jesus did. Even when His bride is unfaithful, scarred, bruised and mangled with the wages of sin, God's infinite love was drawing our salvation plan. Down from His glory. Love divine. God became flesh so that He could give us His abundant grace.

No, there is no other love like the love of Jesus. We know this because you and I are the betrothed bride of Christ. Stand in the offering plate.

Rejoice in Jesus - Part 525

Rejoice in Jesus! Be confident of this very thing -- that He which began a good work in you will perform this same good work until the day of Jesus Christ. Why? Because Jesus has you and I in His heart. As believers in Jesus, we have become partakers in His grace.

Philippians chapter 3 speaks to this. For God is my record - Paul wrote to the church in Philippi. What readers may not realize is that Paul wrote the book of Philippians when he was a prisoner in jail. But Paul didn't just write about the gospel. He told the prison guards about Jesus too. Indeed, everywhere that Paul went, he told people about Jesus. He was rejoicing in the same Jesus who loved him enough to shed His blood on the cross of Calvary, so that Paul's sins (and ours) could become whiter than snow.

Throughout Philippians, Paul encourages the people to get to know Jesus as their personal Saviour and to trust Him more. Paul knew that we are not perfect, but the good news is that he knew without a doubt the transforming power of Jesus. That Jesus held the keys to our happiness. And that when we trust Him for our sustenance, good things will happen.

In fact, there is something revitalizing about leaving the material things behind so that we can follow Jesus, our Lord and Saviour. The same God who knew us even before we were formed within our mother's womb. And yet, He still loved you and I enough to make the ultimate sacrifice. Rejoice in Jesus. Paul said:

"I count all things loss [except] for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ ... that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made comfortable unto His death."

Stand in the offering plate!

- The Other Disciple - Part 524

Often, when we read John chapter 20, we focus on Thomas - sometimes called Doubting Thomas - because it was he who would not believe that Jesus had risen from the dead until he could see in Jesus' hands the print of the nails. The scriptures state, "and thrust my hand into His side." After eight days His disciples and Thomas with them were together. Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace be unto you." Then said He - Jesus - already knowing the inner thoughts of Thomas, "Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands and reach hitherto thy hand and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless but believing." In other words, look upon whom they pierced for I am He. And when he did, Thomas answered the Lord saying, "My Lord and my God." What a revelation.

There are other equally insightful revelations within John 20 as well. First, there is the reference to the "other" disciple. Early, on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene had gone to the sepulchre where Jesus was supposed to be and saw that the stone had been taken away. In verse 2, we read that Mary ran to Simon Peter, and to the "other" disciple, whom Jesus loved and said unto them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre and we know not where they have laid him.

Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple and came to the sepulchre. The scriptures note that the two both ran together but the "other" disciple did outrun Peter. Reaching the sepulchre first, he stooped down and looked in but did not enter into the sepulchre. Then came Simon Peter who did go in, seeing the linen clothes lie. And the napkin that was about His head, not lying with the linen clothes but wrapped together in a place by itself.

"For as yet they knew not the scripture, that He must rise again from the dead."


Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
But it is the "other" disciple that we should take particular note of.  John 18:15 states, "And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did "another disciple." It was this "other" disciple that "was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest."

In John 20:18, it was this "other" disciple -- whom Jesus loved - that reached the sepulchre first. He did not go inside in the beginning. But note the scripture in John 20:8: "Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed." Even though he "as yet had not known the scripture -- that He must rise again from the dead, he believed."

Like Thomas later, the "other" disciple believed that Jesus had risen from the dead even when he did not realize that Jesus death and resurrection had been foretold in prophecy in the days before. He -- John -- believed even though he did not know that the death and resurrection of Jesus was decided before the world was formed. What a revelation! 

The second insight in John 20 focuses on Mary Magdalene. Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping, and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre. And seeing two angels in white sitting the one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus HAD previously lain, they said to her, "Woman, why weepest thou?" Mary replied,"Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him." She turned herself back and saw Jesus standing -- even though she knew not at the time that He was Jesus. But Jesus asked the same question, "Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?"

When Jesus said her name, Mary, she then knew Him. "Rabboni; which is to say Master."

In all of these people, there was a belief that their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was their everything. Their Lord and their Saviour. There was a reason Mary wept. There was a reason John started to run with Peter but arrived at the sepulchre first. Ask Jesus into your life today. Stand in the offering plate!

The Only Thing That Matters - Part 523

Often, those who have asked Jesus to come into their hearts struggle with competing objectives going forward. In their hearts, they want to tell everyone about their wonderful Saviour Jesus who has blessed them with so much. Conversely, there are the household expenses to consider. In this context, the example written in Luke 9 may be timely. Indeed, it goes beyond the message of the lilies in the field preached in Matthew 6. In this latter verse, we are blessed with knowledge on how to get our hearts and minds right, particularly in terms of who holds our lives in His hands. Matthew 6 states:

"And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin; And yet I say unto you, that even [King] Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothes the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you [because of His love!] O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek). [Why not?] For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

But in Luke 9, the example takes us to the next step in our walk with Jesus.

There, when Jesus called His twelve disciples together, He gave them power and authority over all devils to cure diseases. "And He sent them to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. What Jesus said next is significant.

"Take nothing for your journey, neither slaves , nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece." Why? Because "whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide and thence depart. And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them."

As we read further, the people, when they knew that Jesus had taken His apostles into the desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida followed Him. At no point did Jesus turn His back on the people. Indeed, He received them and spake unto them about the Kingdom of God, and He healed all them that had need of healing.

"And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve saying, "Send the multitude away that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals  for we are here in a desert place."

But Jesus said unto them, "Give ye them to eat." This is the faith that we seek in our daily walk with Jesus. Knowing that every step of our road, there is Jesus walking with us hand in hand. Read the Word -- Jesus Word - today for our daily food and discover what Jesus has in store for you today. He loves you. In fact, He loved us from the day He first created man and woman. This is why Jesus died on the cross, so that we might have life abundant. Stand in the offering plate!

In Whom Do You Worship? - Part 522

Thought for this day - "Some worship the moon. Others worship God the creator of the moon." Have a blessed day!

I Come In My Father's Name - Part 521

The gospel of John offers a unique perspective - always intriguing when we think of how John portrays events in the Bible in contrast to the ways that we view the world today. As such, we can't expect John chapter five to be any different. Therein, as John tells it, Jesus travelled to Jerusalem, and more specifically by a pool which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethseda. At this place was a great multitude of people - namely impotent folk, of blind, halt, and withered waiting for the water to move.

You see, in a certain season, an angel would trouble the water so that whosoever stepped in first was made whole of whatsoever disease this individual had contracted. In the midst, was a certain man which had an infirmity for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been in this state for a significant time, Jesus asked him, "Wilt thou be made whole?"

What a strange question coming from the same Jesus who travelled around the countryside healing people. The impotent man told Jesus of his circumstances saying, "Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool; but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me."

Jesus said unto him, "Rise, take up thy bed and walk." And immediately the man was made whole and took up his bed and walked. Needless to say, the Jews who had heard that this man was cured criticized Jesus. They said that "It is the Sabbath day. It is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed." The healed man responded by saying, "He that made me whole, the same said unto me, "Take up thy bed and walk.""

Then the Jews asked him this question. "What man is that which said unto thee, "Take up thy bed and walk?" But he that was healed wist not who it was, for Jesus had conveyed Himself away, a multitude in that place. As the chapter elaborates, Jesus later found the man in the temple and said unto him, "Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more."

The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him whole. As a consequence, the Jews sought even more to persecute Jesus -- to kill Him for doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered saying, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." (John 5:17)

By now, the Jews were even more determined to kill Jesus, not only because He had broken the Sabbath but that He said also that God was His father, making Himself equal with God. Jesus responded to their queries. Indeed, He said, "Verily, verily I say unto you. The Son can do nothing of Himself; but what He sees the Father do; for what things soever He doeth, there also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth Him all things that Himself doeth, there also doeth the Son likewise."

"For the Father loveth the Son and sheweth Him all things that Himself doeth; and He will shew Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel."

Further, Jesus said, "He that heareth my Word, and believeth on Him that hath sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life." Reading in verse 31, it states, "If I bear witness of myself my witness is not true. There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which He witnesseth of me is true."

Therefore, search the scriptures for in them they testify of me -- Jesus. Remember I John 5:7 -- "there are three that bear witness in heaven - the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit." It also states that these three are one.

Indeed, it is He who said, "I am come in my Father's name and ye receive me not. If another shall come in his own name, will you receive him?" Of course not. Why? Because the Lord thy God is one God, and as stated in earlier posts, there is no other God beside Him.

But let's not get too far away from the man dealing with the sickness. His difficulty wasn't the sickness. Rather, it was the fact that when the water was stirred, he did not have anyone who could help into the healing waters. That is, until Jesus -- the King of kings and Lord of Lords came by and told him he was healed. In other words, when there is no one else who can help, we can count on Jesus to take us the distance -- to carry us over all the obstacles the world sends our way. Ask Jesus into your life today. Stand in the offering plate!