Reconciling the World

God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; - Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. - "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.

Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love.

"Yield now and be at peace with Him; Thereby good will come to you. - So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. - LORD, You will establish peace for us, Since You have also performed for us all our works.

II COR. 5:19. Col. 1:19,20. Psa. 85:10. Jer. 29:11. -Isa. 1:18. Mic. 7:18. Job 22:21. -Phi. 2:12,13. Isa. 26:12. [Samuel Bagster]

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Reconciling the World

God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; - Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. - "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.

Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love.

"Yield now and be at peace with Him; Thereby good will come to you. - So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. - LORD, You will establish peace for us, Since You have also performed for us all our works.

II COR. 5:19. Col. 1:19,20. Psa. 85:10. Jer. 29:11. -Isa. 1:18. Mic. 7:18. Job 22:21. -Phi. 2:12,13. Isa. 26:12. [Samuel Bagster]

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

He must increase, but I must decrease. (Joh 3:30)

The words of John (The Baptist) to a group of followers as the ministry of Jesus began. John chapter three relates the ordained relationship between Jesus and  John, as John teaches it is time for his role to decline while the ministry of Jesus must advance. (Joh 3:35) "The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. (Joh 3:31) "He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth.As with the inverse position between Jesus and John, so too is our inverse relationship with our savior. We must decrease, He must increase.

At the moment of our salvation, receiving Christ into our hearts, a wondrous change began in us. A slow, ever steady process of sanctification:

By sanctification is ordinarily meant that hallowing of the Christian believer by which he is freed from sin and enabled to realize the will of God in his life. This is not, however, the first or common meaning in the Scriptures. To sanctify means commonly to make holy, that is, to separate from the world and consecrate to God. (ISBE)

This process is not an --all at once-- deal. It is a slow, God driven, purposeful transition that, in effect, causes the WE in us to slowly be replaced by the HE in Him. The goal is to be constantly changed into the very image of Christ.

We frequently either help or hinder this process depending upon which lens we use in the conduct of our lives, and how faithful we are to stay on the narrow path and in His light. Our desire should always be to emulate Christ in all that we do, all that we think, all that we are.

I doubt, that while wearing this earthly tent, I personally will even come close to that beautiful emulation in total. I pray fervently that at the end of my earthly days that this sanctification will allow me to hear from my savior those heavenly words:

(Mat 25:21) …....'Well done, good and faithful servant; …. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

He must increase, but I must decrease. (Joh 3:30)

The words of John (The Baptist) to a group of followers as the ministry of Jesus began. John chapter three relates the ordained relationship between Jesus and  John, as John teaches it is time for his role to decline while the ministry of Jesus must advance. (Joh 3:35) "The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. (Joh 3:31) "He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. As with the inverse position between Jesus and John, so too is our inverse relationship with our savior. We must decrease, He must increase.

At the moment of our salvation, receiving Christ into our hearts, a wondrous change began in us. A slow, ever steady process of sanctification:

By sanctification is ordinarily meant that hallowing of the Christian believer by which he is freed from sin and enabled to realize the will of God in his life. This is not, however, the first or common meaning in the Scriptures. To sanctify means commonly to make holy, that is, to separate from the world and consecrate to God. (ISBE)

This process is not an --all at once-- deal. It is a slow, God driven, purposeful transition that, in effect, causes the WE in us to slowly be replaced by the HE in Him. The goal is to be constantly changed into the very image of Christ.

We frequently either help or hinder this process depending upon which lens we use in the conduct of our lives, and how faithful we are to stay on the narrow path and in His light. Our desire should always be to emulate Christ in all that we do, all that we think, all that we are.

I doubt, that while wearing this earthly tent, I personally will even come close to that beautiful emulation in total. I pray fervently that at the end of my earthly days that this sanctification will allow me to hear from my savior those heavenly words:

(Mat 25:21) …....'Well done, good and faithful servant; …. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

As dew from the Lord

(Mic 5:7) Then the remnant of Jacob Will be among many peoples Like dew from the LORD, Like showers on vegetation Which do not wait for man Or delay for the sons of men.

During my devotions this morning, my attention was drawn to this week's celebration of the Biblical New Year, Rosh Hashana, culminating with Yom Kippur next week. I thought about how small but how influential, how blessed Israel is and through history comes the message of the small, the remnant, the first selected of God.

Thank-you Holy Spirit for then leading my gaze to Charles Spurgeon and this elegant comparative of His great power and grace through the tiny, the small, the collective;

If this be true of the literal Israel, much more is it true of the spiritual Israel, the believing people of God. When saints are what they should be, they are an incalculable blessing to those among whom they are scattered.

They are as the dew; for in a quiet, unobtrusive manner they refresh those around them. Silently but effectually they minister to the life, growth, and joy of those who dwell with them. Coming fresh from heaven, glistening like diamonds in the sun, gracious men and women attend to the feeble and insignificant till each blade of grass has its own drop of dew. Little as individuals, they are, when united, all-sufficient for the purposes of love which the Lord fulfills through them. Dew drops accomplish the refreshing of broad acres. Lord, make us like the dew!

Godly people are as showers which come at God's bidding without man's leave and license. They work for God whether men desire it or not; they no more ask human permission than the rain does. Lord, make us thus boldly prompt and free in Thy service wherever our lot is cast.

We each, regardless of our station, are a part of that great shower of God's grace through faith. We are but a droplet of dew, but combined in Jesus, we spread the nourishment and refreshment of His Word to the world. Thank-you Father for the blessing of being witness to Your wonder and beauty, Amen.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

As dew from the Lord

(Mic 5:7) Then the remnant of Jacob Will be among many peoples Like dew from the LORD, Like showers on vegetation Which do not wait for man Or delay for the sons of men.

During my devotions this morning, my attention was drawn to this week's celebration of the Biblical New Year, Rosh Hashana, culminating with Yom Kippur next week. I thought about how small but how influential, how blessed Israel is and through history comes the message of the small, the remnant, the first selected of God.

Thank-you Holy Spirit for then leading my gaze to Charles Spurgeon and this elegant comparative of His great power and grace through the tiny, the small, the collective;

If this be true of the literal Israel, much more is it true of the spiritual Israel, the believing people of God. When saints are what they should be, they are an incalculable blessing to those among whom they are scattered.

They are as the dew; for in a quiet, unobtrusive manner they refresh those around them. Silently but effectually they minister to the life, growth, and joy of those who dwell with them. Coming fresh from heaven, glistening like diamonds in the sun, gracious men and women attend to the feeble and insignificant till each blade of grass has its own drop of dew. Little as individuals, they are, when united, all-sufficient for the purposes of love which the Lord fulfills through them. Dew drops accomplish the refreshing of broad acres. Lord, make us like the dew!

Godly people are as showers which come at God's bidding without man's leave and license. They work for God whether men desire it or not; they no more ask human permission than the rain does. Lord, make us thus boldly prompt and free in Thy service wherever our lot is cast.

We each, regardless of our station, are a part of that great shower of God's grace through faith. We are but a droplet of dew, but combined in Jesus, we spread the nourishment and refreshment of His Word to the world. Thank-you Father for the blessing of being witness to Your wonder and beauty, Amen.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Whats love got to do with it?

Whats love but a second hand emotion? These lyric lines were a HUGE hit for singer Tina Turner. She poured out all her pain from the depths of a broken heart. Based on sales and chart position, we can safely assume many souls resonated to the frequency of her pain. Truly, what does love have to do with it? The IT....... is US !

There are 349 instances in my Bible where the word love is used. The first appearance is: (Gen 22:2) He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."

Abraham was, in all likelihood, devastated that God would require this of him. His son, his only son. But the faith, the trust, the love that Abraham had in his God, in his Creator, in his belief that God can do all things, gave this father the strength to follow through with the will of his Lord to the very point of exacting the execution of God's command. God loved Abraham, Abraham loved God.

Another Father, who loved His Son, His only son would undergo the horrible sacrifice of His blood in order to save all others; spilling that precious life sustaining blood; pooling at the foot of a cross on Golgotha. God wept.

Love is a commandment: (Mat 22:37) And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'; while loving your neighbors as you love yourself.

Love appears 28 times in Psalms. Eleven in Matthew, five in Mark. Luke uses love in 12 verses, in John, 26 events. You might be surprised which books contain the overwhelming use of the word love; 1-3 John; 42 times!

The final publication of the word love resides in revelation: (Rev 12:11) "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.

Beloved reader, the very next time you use, in casual conversation, the word love; “Oh I love that dress” or “I'd love to be rich”, or “I love my X-Box”.......reflect on the price that Jesus paid. Paid for you. Paid out of LOVE.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?