Note: This is an earlier writing I had done but not published anywhere outside of a social media post until now. I am still adding stuff from my archives every so often and I will hopefully eventually have most all my writings gathered here in one place.
Just had this thought come to mind while in the shower. (As I often have random thoughts come to mind then- lol. :-)) You know how it's been said that even if you were the only person on Earth, Jesus loves you so much He would still have died and rose for just you? Well, this is true! God would have provided salvation for just you. (Just see Jesus' parable of the good shepherd who leaves 99 sheep behind to find one missing one! - Matthew 18 and also check Luke 15 for more on how God pursues the lost with relentless love!)
Now read Acts 10 and see how God used a vision to tell Peter not to call unclean what He has made clean. (Wherein God declared all food clean to eat and also declared all people valued and loved by Him!) Then think of your most hated enemy- think of the people you complain about to friends and on social media- think about the people you despise the most and all the most hated people on earth- all the criminals, terrorists, ruthless dictators, corrupt leaders, evil murderers- everyone who has done the most heinous things- and remember two things. There, but for the grace of God, go I. As James 2:10 says, if you break the Law at any one point, you're guilty of breaking it all. As Romans 2 reminds us, we're no better than them because we do the same things! (Maybe we haven't killed anyone physically, but we have with words. Maybe we haven't raped anyone, but we've committed adultery in our hearts by looking with lust at people.- see Matthew 5.)
And remember that whoever your most hated and despicable person is that you thought about, if they were the only person on Earth, Jesus loves them so much, He would have died and rose for just them too! So don't dare disparage and denigrate and demean one made in God's image! (We can deplore their sinful actions, but we are still commanded to love them as we love ourselves because Jesus loves them and wants to save them! Pray that they will let Him do just that.) (John 13:34-35, Luke 6:20-49, Luke 9:51-56- especially see the bit that some manuscripts add in verse 55!)
2 Peter 3:8-9 - God desires ALL to come to repentance!
Showing posts with label enemy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label enemy. Show all posts
Friday, June 28, 2019
Monday, May 4, 2015
Look at the stars- look how they shine for you
May the 4th. verses of Micah 5, 2 Corinthians 5 and 1 John 5 be with you.
"And He shall stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of The Lord, in the majesty of the Name of The Lord His God. And they shall dwell secure, for now He shall be great to the ends of the earth." (Micah 5:4)
"For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened- not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up ...by life." (2 Corinthians 5:4)
"For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith." (1 John 5:4)
The wars of the stars is over. ("From the heavens the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera."- Judges 5:20)
And all the stars will praise The Victor- The Lord Jesus Christ who rules over all and binds the whole universe together. (Colossians 1:15-17)
"This is what the Lord says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord Almighty is his name:" (Jeremiah 31:35)
"Praise Him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars." (Psalms 148:3)
And though the dark side may feel like its won at times, that phantom menace will fall one day for good- it is under attack and though it may be allowed to have revenge for a brief while- there is a new hope. The dark and light have been battling since the one who tried to ascend above the stars had his fall. ("Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,” declares the Lord." [Obadiah 1:4])
And that Babylonian empire struck back at Calvary, but the return of Jesus from the grave won the war for good. Sin and its penalty is defeated. And one day, He will come again and the dead in Christ will be awakened and those alive who have put faith in Him will be together with Him forever.
The One who holds the seven stars in His hand also holds the keys of death and Hades and He is alive forevermore! He has won the cosmic battle of the ages and those of us on His side know that we will enjoy peace with Him, both now in our hearts and lives and throughout the galaxy forever in eternity.
Until that final day, Jesus is continuing to work in us "so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky" (Philippians 2:15)
"Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever." (Daniel 12:3)
"And He shall stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of The Lord, in the majesty of the Name of The Lord His God. And they shall dwell secure, for now He shall be great to the ends of the earth." (Micah 5:4)
"For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened- not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up ...by life." (2 Corinthians 5:4)
"For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith." (1 John 5:4)
The wars of the stars is over. ("From the heavens the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera."- Judges 5:20)
And all the stars will praise The Victor- The Lord Jesus Christ who rules over all and binds the whole universe together. (Colossians 1:15-17)
"This is what the Lord says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord Almighty is his name:" (Jeremiah 31:35)
"Praise Him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars." (Psalms 148:3)
And though the dark side may feel like its won at times, that phantom menace will fall one day for good- it is under attack and though it may be allowed to have revenge for a brief while- there is a new hope. The dark and light have been battling since the one who tried to ascend above the stars had his fall. ("Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,” declares the Lord." [Obadiah 1:4])
And that Babylonian empire struck back at Calvary, but the return of Jesus from the grave won the war for good. Sin and its penalty is defeated. And one day, He will come again and the dead in Christ will be awakened and those alive who have put faith in Him will be together with Him forever.
The One who holds the seven stars in His hand also holds the keys of death and Hades and He is alive forevermore! He has won the cosmic battle of the ages and those of us on His side know that we will enjoy peace with Him, both now in our hearts and lives and throughout the galaxy forever in eternity.
Until that final day, Jesus is continuing to work in us "so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky" (Philippians 2:15)
"Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever." (Daniel 12:3)
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