When people meet you, do they see Jesus?
For, you and I, as followers of Jesus, reflect the very glory of God. Now, let that thought sink in for a moment. Let it transform your heart, your mind and the very way that you carry yourself as a Christian. You and I reflect a glory that is lasting, it is life changing, it is contagious and undeniable. It will bring hope to the hopeless, joy to the destitute and life to those are lost in sin.
13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face(A) to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. 14 But their minds were made dull,(B) for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant(C) is read.(D) It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord,(E) the veil is taken away.(F) 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit,(G)and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.(H) 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect[a](I) the Lord’s glory,(J) are being transformed into his likeness(K) with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.- 2 Corinthians 3:13-17
As Moses left Mount Sinai after seeing the glory of the Lord pass by him his face glowed with the radiance of God and he covered his face with a veil so that the Israelites would not see that glory fade away. Yet, you and I, beloved, when we receive Christ as Lord and Savior, turning from sin and towards Christ will become image bearers of the glory of God that will never fade. Thats right, unlike Moses who only for a short time reflected the very glory of the God of the universe, we have the very risen Christ living within side of us. His glory and radiance is on our very faces and it will not fade. As He transforms us more into His image we start to see Christ made more and more evident in our lives. And with unveiled faces we reflect the glory of God in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Is anyones heart signing for joy at such a truth, or is it just me? Do not live a defeated life in Christ Jesus, but let His righteousness and His glory shine from you to a world that desperately needs the truth of the gospel. You, beloved are an image bearer of the glory of God in Jesus Christ, it will not fade as it did with Moses. This is truly, wonderful news!
Do not be like those deceived whose hearts out of pride, sin and stubbornness, have covered themselves with a veil and have never allowed the gospel truth to penetrate their hearts, change them and set them free. Turn from your sin, trust in Jesus and watch Him set you free and make you new as He removes the veil from your heart. For when you let Him you become an image bearer of the very glory of God. His radiance shines from you in a way that the world will not be able to deny.
This makes me want to shout for joy! Glory to God who by His grace, came to set sinners free and not just to set them free, but to make them completely different people. Lord Jesus, I am so thankful.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
A New Perspective
Heather, you're ugly, not good enough, you cannot trust others and you'll never amount to anything. Ever felt that way? Yeah, I used to. These were the lies that I used to believe about myself and others.
The enemy of your soul, Satan, wants to whisper lies into your heart. He wants you to believe that you cannot trust anyone. When your life is hit by devastation and heartache the lie that he whispers is for you to put up a wall, to become callous towards life and towards others. His deception tells you that the only person that you can trust is yourself. His desires for you are never good, but only for your destruction. His purposes for you are not for your healing, but to your detriment he will do everything he can to keep you from experiencing true freedom.
So what are we to do with our wounded hearts? Jesus Christ says, " The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."- John 10:10
Yes, isn't that such good news? Jesus Christ says that Satan has come only to steal, kill and destroy but that He has come to offer us life, real life, abundant life!
Abundant life, for you, really? It's true. For the one who turns to the Lord Jesus for forgiveness and clings tightly to Him, our Lord says that he will give you life and life to the full!
I don't know many people who are truly full. I know a lot of wounded people with bitterness and pain. They walk around with their cup hoping that others will fill it. They look to their status in the community, their possessions, relationships, and the like, to fill them with joy and satisfaction and although it may bring them temporal happiness it does not bring them lasting joy.
Yet, I know a healer. Jesus Christ wants to fill you with more of himself and His attributes, love and joy, peace and kindness, gentleness and faithfulness, self-control and selflessness. His desires for you are always good. Although, He never promises to keep you from the pain, He promises to never leave you and that if you let Him, He will heal you.
As I've clung so tightly to the Lord Jesus these past years and have sought His healing He has given me a new perspective. This is now, by the grace of God, what I believe about myself.
Heather, you are loved, you are a new creation, you are beautiful, valuable, have a great purpose and you can trust others. Most of all you can trust in Jesus, because His desires and purposes for you are to heal you and to set you free.
Satan wants you to be a prisoner, but I say to you, Jesus Christ wants to set you free, will you let Him today?
The enemy of your soul, Satan, wants to whisper lies into your heart. He wants you to believe that you cannot trust anyone. When your life is hit by devastation and heartache the lie that he whispers is for you to put up a wall, to become callous towards life and towards others. His deception tells you that the only person that you can trust is yourself. His desires for you are never good, but only for your destruction. His purposes for you are not for your healing, but to your detriment he will do everything he can to keep you from experiencing true freedom.
So what are we to do with our wounded hearts? Jesus Christ says, " The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."- John 10:10
Yes, isn't that such good news? Jesus Christ says that Satan has come only to steal, kill and destroy but that He has come to offer us life, real life, abundant life!
Abundant life, for you, really? It's true. For the one who turns to the Lord Jesus for forgiveness and clings tightly to Him, our Lord says that he will give you life and life to the full!
I don't know many people who are truly full. I know a lot of wounded people with bitterness and pain. They walk around with their cup hoping that others will fill it. They look to their status in the community, their possessions, relationships, and the like, to fill them with joy and satisfaction and although it may bring them temporal happiness it does not bring them lasting joy.
Yet, I know a healer. Jesus Christ wants to fill you with more of himself and His attributes, love and joy, peace and kindness, gentleness and faithfulness, self-control and selflessness. His desires for you are always good. Although, He never promises to keep you from the pain, He promises to never leave you and that if you let Him, He will heal you.
As I've clung so tightly to the Lord Jesus these past years and have sought His healing He has given me a new perspective. This is now, by the grace of God, what I believe about myself.
Heather, you are loved, you are a new creation, you are beautiful, valuable, have a great purpose and you can trust others. Most of all you can trust in Jesus, because His desires and purposes for you are to heal you and to set you free.
Satan wants you to be a prisoner, but I say to you, Jesus Christ wants to set you free, will you let Him today?
Thursday, August 9, 2012
If there is no Hell
If there is no Hell, then the death of Christ was done in vain. If everyone goes to Heaven already, then there would have been no need for a substitutionary death. Jesus would not have had to die, because there would be nothing that we would need to be saved from.
If there is no Hell, then there is no need for accountability of ones life. Go ahead, live however you please, get as much pleasure as you like, just make sure for societies sake that you stay out of jail. If there is no Hell, then there is no reason to turn from your wicked sinful heart, because God, who is Holy, has now put His holiness and justice aside by allowing sinners, who have lived however they please into eternal glory in Heaven.
If there is no Hell, then I'm going to start living it up a little bit more. If there is no Hell, then I don't see the need to forgive my brother who has hurt me. If there is no Hell, then life is all about me and I'm going to live like it.
Yet, Jesus Christ did die and He did rise from the dead. He was seen by over 500 hundred witnesses after his resurrection. On the cross He cried out, "Tetelestai", which translated means, "It is finished". The Greek word implies that something has been completed, perfected and accomplished in full. Jesus Christ uttered these words right before He took His last breath, because in this one statement He was saying, my purpose, of coming to this world to save sinners, to make a way for them to be made right with God has been accomplished through my death. It is finished, and in that one moment, Jesus Christ took away all sin for those who would trust in His death and resurrection to save them.
God, came down as a man. Don't believe it? Ok, go ahead, disprove the resurrection. Find someone else who claimed that He was equal with God and defeated death. I promise you, you won't find anyone.
Since Jesus Christ proved that He was God, then Hell is real. Since Hell is real, we have to ask ourselves, where am I headed? Many of us will say, well I'm a good person so of course I'm not going to Hell, but the truth is that our eternity is not based upon how good we are, for if it was then again Christ death would have been pointless.
One must ask themselves, according to God's will revealed in the Bible, how do I measure up? Jesus says, any man who lusts after a woman in His own heart has committed adultery with her. He also says, if a man hates his brother it is the same as murdering them. Wow, fit in there anywhere?
Ever lied? Stolen? Cheated on a test? The reality is that because God is Holy He cannot allow sin into Heaven. There must be an exchange. The exchange must take place with one who was without sin and that was Jesus Christ. "He who had no sin, became sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God" 2nd Corinthians 5:21
One must realize that in and of themselves, there is no salvation, but only through Jesus Christ can true salvation be found. Do not come to Him with pride, for He will have nothing to do with it. The truth is that everyone is deserving of Hell, not Heaven.
Come to Him in brokenness over your own sin, call out to Him to save you and watch Him transform you into a new person. It is only then that you can be assured that after you die that you will have a hope of eternal life in Heaven.
Do not be deceived. Trust in the Lord Jesus today and be set free!
If there is no Hell, then there is no need for accountability of ones life. Go ahead, live however you please, get as much pleasure as you like, just make sure for societies sake that you stay out of jail. If there is no Hell, then there is no reason to turn from your wicked sinful heart, because God, who is Holy, has now put His holiness and justice aside by allowing sinners, who have lived however they please into eternal glory in Heaven.
If there is no Hell, then I'm going to start living it up a little bit more. If there is no Hell, then I don't see the need to forgive my brother who has hurt me. If there is no Hell, then life is all about me and I'm going to live like it.
Yet, Jesus Christ did die and He did rise from the dead. He was seen by over 500 hundred witnesses after his resurrection. On the cross He cried out, "Tetelestai", which translated means, "It is finished". The Greek word implies that something has been completed, perfected and accomplished in full. Jesus Christ uttered these words right before He took His last breath, because in this one statement He was saying, my purpose, of coming to this world to save sinners, to make a way for them to be made right with God has been accomplished through my death. It is finished, and in that one moment, Jesus Christ took away all sin for those who would trust in His death and resurrection to save them.
God, came down as a man. Don't believe it? Ok, go ahead, disprove the resurrection. Find someone else who claimed that He was equal with God and defeated death. I promise you, you won't find anyone.
Since Jesus Christ proved that He was God, then Hell is real. Since Hell is real, we have to ask ourselves, where am I headed? Many of us will say, well I'm a good person so of course I'm not going to Hell, but the truth is that our eternity is not based upon how good we are, for if it was then again Christ death would have been pointless.
One must ask themselves, according to God's will revealed in the Bible, how do I measure up? Jesus says, any man who lusts after a woman in His own heart has committed adultery with her. He also says, if a man hates his brother it is the same as murdering them. Wow, fit in there anywhere?
Ever lied? Stolen? Cheated on a test? The reality is that because God is Holy He cannot allow sin into Heaven. There must be an exchange. The exchange must take place with one who was without sin and that was Jesus Christ. "He who had no sin, became sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God" 2nd Corinthians 5:21
One must realize that in and of themselves, there is no salvation, but only through Jesus Christ can true salvation be found. Do not come to Him with pride, for He will have nothing to do with it. The truth is that everyone is deserving of Hell, not Heaven.
Come to Him in brokenness over your own sin, call out to Him to save you and watch Him transform you into a new person. It is only then that you can be assured that after you die that you will have a hope of eternal life in Heaven.
Do not be deceived. Trust in the Lord Jesus today and be set free!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Life's Big Questions Video
Just click on this link, here and see what they had to say!
Friday, August 3, 2012
Bicycles, Trumpets and the Clear Blue Sky
I couldn't help but notice the sky when I was out biking this morning. As I was on the outskirts of town I decided to get up off the seat and sprint for a little while down a good stretch of road. As I pedaled hard it was as if the sky, with its beautiful blue colors was zooming past me. I felt the presence of God in a stronger way as I was enveloped by the beautiful blue sky. I couldn't help but wonder what He was thinking. I'm sure that He was delighted too. Do you ever have those moments with God, when you can't help, but just smile and you know that He is smiling too? For God loves to delight in His children who delight in Him.
As I got lost in the clear blue sky it reminded me of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
I wonder if when that trumpet sounds that I'll be staring into the sky? I want to be ready, for when that trumpet sounds the Lord Jesus will come and gather His own to be with him forever. Oh, Lord Jesus, I desire to be with you, forever. For, while in Heaven, you and I will get lost in the deep blue sky together. I can't even fathom what that will be like. Until then, I'll be keeping an eye on that deep blue sky, looking for you.
Lord Jesus, soon that trumpet will sound and you will come back for your own. When I think about it something deep within me stirs with great joy and anticipation for that day. In this time of waiting, Father, use my life to further your Kingdom to help others to see who Jesus Christ is. God, glorify your Son in me. Keep my eyes on Christ and when they look elsewhere, by your grace draw me back, Father. In Jesus name. Amen.
As I got lost in the clear blue sky it reminded me of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
I wonder if when that trumpet sounds that I'll be staring into the sky? I want to be ready, for when that trumpet sounds the Lord Jesus will come and gather His own to be with him forever. Oh, Lord Jesus, I desire to be with you, forever. For, while in Heaven, you and I will get lost in the deep blue sky together. I can't even fathom what that will be like. Until then, I'll be keeping an eye on that deep blue sky, looking for you.
Lord Jesus, soon that trumpet will sound and you will come back for your own. When I think about it something deep within me stirs with great joy and anticipation for that day. In this time of waiting, Father, use my life to further your Kingdom to help others to see who Jesus Christ is. God, glorify your Son in me. Keep my eyes on Christ and when they look elsewhere, by your grace draw me back, Father. In Jesus name. Amen.
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