A Greater Increase

Jesus lived a phenomenal life; and when He ascended into heaven, He sent His Spirit to dwell in us. The Holy Spirit enables us to do greater works than Jesus did, because there are so many of us in His Body (John 14:12). We have the same power and authority of Christ, because He dwells in us by His Spirit (Romans 8:11). Even His Word brings life-changing power into our world.

We increase in love for one another and toward all people (1 Thessalonians 3:12). In humility, we prefer one another and do not act from any selfish ambition (Philippians 2:3). Every day, we share God’s love with everyone He brings into our life. We thank God for one another, especially as we watch each other growing in our faith. Our love for one another grows even more (2 Thessalonians 1:3).

 

He will increase the numbers in our church body, because He loves and blesses those who serve Him (Deuteronomy 7:13). The glory of God’s current house will be greater than the glory of His former house (Haggai 2:9). God swears to uphold His promises to us by the greatness of His name (Hebrews 6:13, 16). Our testimony is great, but the testimony of God is even greater (1 John 5:9).

 

The apostles knew that the only way their faith would grow is if the Lord did it in them (Luke 17:5). God does this by supplying our needs, increasing our storehouses and enlarging our harvest (2 Corinthians 9:10). He increases the fruit on our trees and the crops in our fields. He protects us from the shame of deprivation (Ezekiel 36:30). He multiplies our honor and gives us His comfort (Psalm 71:21).

 

Prayer:

Father God, You dwell within us and help us to overcome Satan, the flesh and the world (1 John 4:4). You give us a ministry to perform for Your glory and You empower us to accomplish everything, which You call us to do (Philippians 2:12-13). We dedicate to You every breath we breathe and every moment of our day. Lead us by Your Spirit and always keep us in the center of Your will.

 

Thought for the Day:

The least person in this world will be the greatest of all in God’s Kingdom. - Luke 7:28

 

Why Did Jesus Have to Die?

In John 13, we read about Jesus preparing for Calvary. He met with His apostles and washed their feet. He shared His last supper with them. Then, Jesus assured His apostles that He would give them anything they needed in order to carry out their work of the gospel (John 14:13-14, 15:16, 16:23-24, 16:26). His best promise was of our continued relationship with Him and a deeper relationship with the Father through the Holy Spirit (John 16:13).

 

Jesus guaranteed His disciples a home in heaven, and prayer as a tool of communicating with Him, the Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth, His future return for His Bride and then His second coming with His Bride. After the last supper, Judas left the room on his way to fulfill his destiny of betrayal, impetuous Peter made a bold statement of faith in Christ, and Jesus prophesied that Peter would deny Him three times.

The same Jewish people, who lauded Jesus as King when He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, insisted on His crucifixion and death. They ultimately did not recognize Him as their Messiah. However, the fact that Jesus is God is indisputable (Hebrews 1:4-14). Eye witness accounts and even secular historians document the fact that He lived, died and rose again in order to free us from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). Now, He fulfills the role as our High Priest in Heaven (Hebrews 2:17,3:1).

Jesus already went through the veil of death. He can sympathize with every trial and temptation we ever experience on earth, because He already suffered these same issues (Hebrews 2:5-18). Even living back in His glory in Heaven, He is always involved in our daily life, because He lives in us (Acts 7:55; Colossians 1:27). Jesus is the first fruits of the children of God (James 1:18). We are coheirs with Him of the glory of God (Romans 8:17). He ministers in Heaven on our behalf as our advocate (1 John 2:1).

This all gives us confidence in our faith, because He provides us with His mercy and grace (Hebrews 11:1). Jesus described his relationship with us as the Vine and the branches (John 15:1-8). His life flows through us each moment of our life. He did not leave us helpless on this earth, but provided the Holy Spirit to comfort and indwell us (John 14:16,17). The Bible is full of prophecies and promises about and by Jesus that give us hope for our resurrection.

 

We stake our spiritual life on these prophecies, and we live in abundant life because of His promises (2 Peter 1:4). God also gave us His Word to settle disputes of dogma (Matthew 21:42). He uses it to increase His spiritual influence in our life, and to give us hope for the future (Mark 11:17; Jeremiah 20:11). His Word is a light and a lamp, which gives us direction and clarifies our walk in Him (Psalm 119:105). His Word endures forever (1 Peter 1:25).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, the assurances You gave Your apostles comforted their fearful hearts when You promised that their sorrow at Your loss would soon turn to joy (John 16:20).  After a time of agonizing prayer in the garden, You concluded with the words, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” Your submission to the Father is an example to us of how to live a life of victory and joy, regardless of our circumstances. As we submit to our Father’s will for our own life, we will gain eternal life through You.

Thought for the Day:

Jesus employed the Bible to resist temptation and He gave us this example to employ in our life as well. - Matthew 4:4,7,10

 

 

 

A Matter of the Heart

Many people in today’s society harden their heart so they will no longer be affected by the sadness of the seamier side of life. They also hardened their heart toward God, the Bible, church, Jesus and anything else relating to Christianity. They pollute the Word of God to include justification for their liberal lifestyle and thinking. They no longer hear God’s call on their life and the god of this world blinded their eyes (2 Corinthians 4:4). Many of them became so godless in their behavior and thinking, that God gave them over to the sinful desires of their heart (Romans 1:24).

Satan makes sure to provide us with temptations, which lead us away from the straight and narrow path God chose for us (Matthew 7:13-14). God’s path does not add legalistic works to the Word, but only includes believing the pure, unadulterated Truth of God’s Word. This is not a modern phenomenon. Prophets, judges and apostles throughout the centuries were called by God to call His people back to walking in His ways. However, mankind is determined to go from one sin to another, and they refuse to acknowledge God in their life (Jeremiah 9:3).

God used judgment in the Old Testament to call people to come back to His path (Jeremiah 15:6). In the New Testament He uses grace and mercy to influence people to walk in His Truth (James 3:17; Titus 3:5; 2 John 1:3). In both instances, there are many who know the Truth; yet, choose to walk away from Him. In fact, Jesus, God made flesh (John 1:1,14; 14:6; Philippians 2:7; 1 John 4:2), lived on the earth for 33 years; and they not only did not recognize who He was, but they crucified Him to assuage their corrupt consciences. We crucify Him again with every sin we commit.

God wants us to follow hard after Him (Psalm 63:8), to love Him with our whole heart, soul, strength and mind (Luke 10:27), and to live a life committed to Him according to our calling and election (2 Peter 1:10). He yearns for us not to harden our heart, but to respond to His voice (Hebrews 3:15). Salvation is a free gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:14-15). Christ paid the penalty of the consequences of our sins on Calvary’s cross and He made the way open for all of us to come to Him by faith in His faithfulness (John 14:6-7).

He is waiting for you; and He is only a prayer away (John 3:16). Recognize your sin (Romans 3:23, 25), turn away from your sinful lifestyle and receive His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Once we come to Christ, He frees us from our sin (Acts 10:43). His peace and joy, which surpass anything the world has to offer, flood our soul (Romans 5:5). He fills us with His love and His Holy Spirit, and He never leaves us or forsakes us (Romans 15:13; Hebrews 13:5). From the first moment of our conversion, God transforms our heart by grace through our faith in Him (Ephesians 2:8).

Prayer:
Father God, thank You for giving us Your Son, for giving us the desire and the power to call upon You and for walking with us every step of the way for the rest of our life (Philippians 2:12-13). We look forward to the glories of Heaven (Revelation 21). Heal the hardened hearts of our friends, relatives, associates and neighbors as we continually invite them to join us in this marvelous journey with You.

Thought for the Day:

Some harden their hearts and depart from the faith by devoting themselves to: deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared. – 1 Timothy 4:1-2