Category Archives: Grace / Forgiveness

Compassionate, Grace / Forgiveness, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Justice / Judgment, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God

The Message of the Cross – Salvation Through Yeshua (Jesus)

God’s instruction to us is so complete and relevant that a scholar could spend a lifetime studying it, yet so simple that a child can understand it and come to a personal relationship with Christ.

The message of the cross, of Yeshua, is perhaps best summarized in the words of Yeshua and Paul, and Passover is a wonderful time to reflect on the sacrifice of Yeshua for our sins and our invitation to receive salvation through Him. (To study more on Passover or Feast of Unleavened Bread and how it relates to salvation through Yeshua, visit our teaching on Celebrating God’s Holy Days (Moedim) and the other resources linked there.)

John 3:16-21

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His [e]only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the [f]only begotten Son of God. 19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

Let us take care to understand properly in context the word “believe”. I believe that Greenland exists, but it has no impact on my life. Many believe that Yeshua was a true historical figure, but they do not live according to His instructions. Many even believe Yeshua was Messiah, in an academic sense, but they do not submit to Him and live His way. If we truly believe that Yeshua Messiah, God, then we should submit to Him and the evidence should be demonstrated in our changed life through actions and attitudes that are increasingly more like Him and less like our old selves.

James 2:14-20

     14What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

      18But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

Some ask…”What is sin?” or “How can I know if I have sinned?” People are inherently sinful, not good. Sin separates us from God. The Bible tells us that “… all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” [Romans 3:23]

Have you ever broken one of God’s commandments [Exodus 20:1-17]? Yeshua makes clear that God’s standard goes beyond committing the physical acts but even includes the heart and mind. To hold anger against someone is to commit murder. To have lustful thoughts is to commit adultery. [Matthew 5:21-48]

God is love, but He is also holy and just. A price must be paid for our sins. It can not be ignored. We are not able to pay the price ourselves because we are not worthy. Our sins are so ugly before God that the penalty of sin is death.

God so loved the world that He became man in the person of Yeshua, living a sinless life, and suffered and died for our sins. He was buried and rose again.  He has overcome death and gives us a path to eternal life through accepting Jesus as Lord.

The work of the cross has already been completed. The price has been paid for your sins and mine. We must each individually repent of our sins before God. This means we must turn away from them, not just feel bad about them and keep sinning. We accept Him as Lord, submitting our lives fully to Him. We cannot call Him Lord and then only submit to Him part way. If He is Lord we must submit to Him all the way. This is evidenced by a change in our thoughts and behaviors. We become different from the world. We do not rationalize and accept even some of our sin but rather reject it and seek to follow God.  It is not enough to call ourselves Christians and go to church. We must fully submit to God.

Romans 10

10 Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 3 For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the [a]end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is [b]based on law shall live [c]by that righteousness. 6 But the righteousness [d]based on faith speaks as follows: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 [e]that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, [f]resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, [g]resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be [h]disappointed.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who [i]bring good news of good things!”

16 However, they did not all heed the [j]good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word [k]of Christ.

18 But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have;

“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
And their words to the ends of the [l]world.”

19 But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says,

“I will make you jealous by that which is not a nation,
By a nation without understanding will I anger you.”

20 And Isaiah is very bold and says,

“I was found by those who did not seek Me,
I became manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”

21 But as for Israel He says, “All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

Many will reject the message, but we are called to preach it to all the world. We as believers must not be silent or no one will hear the true word of God. If they do not hear it, they can not accept it and be saved.

If you have never submitted to Yeshua as Lord, please pray with me the following, but pray genuinely with your heart because it is not about the specific words but the condition of the heart and submission to God.

Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Yeshua. I admit that I have done wrong and ask your forgiveness. I believe in my heart that Yeshua died for my sin and that you raised Him from the dead. I ask Yeshua into my heart as Lord over my life. Help me to change my attitude and behavior to turn away from my own ways and the world’s ways and instead turn toward You and live the way You teach as revealed in Your word, the Bible. Help me to gladly and boldly proclaim Jesus publicly in my life. Thank you, God, for saving me.

This is not all there is! This is but the beginning… the doorway. Once you pass through this doorway you submit your whole life to Yeshua. It requires a combination of Intellect (knowing God), Emotion (loving God and fearing God), and Will (choosing to do His will instead of our own). It is an ongoing decision in our lives that starts us on a journey to know God more intimately and to obey Him more completely. It requires study and prayer and action. It is a journey we never finish in this life, but it transforms us along the way to be more and more like Yeshua.

If you made this decision today, we encourage you to reach out to us or others in the body of Christ so that we can welcome you as well as pray for you and provide more information and encouragement for your life changing decision. You can reach us through our Contact Us page.

Tell others you know have already accepted Yeshua as their Lord and Savior. Tell them of your decision to follow Him. Look to connect with a mentor who has a mature relationship with Yeshua and/or a local group of followers of Yeshua. Discern based on actions and attitudes of the people rather than what they call themselves. Don’t just assume someone who calls themselves “Christian” is the right connection. Compare to the written word in the Bible and pray for wisdom.

Why is it important to declare Yeshua as Lord publicly? He said so.

Matthew 10:32-33 32 “Therefore everyone who [z]confesses Me before men, I will also confess [aa]him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever [ab]denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

Also, connecting with other disciples (or learners) of Yeshua and publicly declaring your decision to follow Him can help provide important support from others to help you on your journey. Remember, many who reject Yeshua will try to talk you out of submitting to Him and following Him. Some even do this while claiming to follow Him. Pray God will guide you to and connect you with the fellowship of true brothers and sisters in Yeshua that will help you to continue your lifelong journey to know, love, and serve our savior and messiah!

We invite you to study the Bible with us daily through our devotions via email, Facebook, or on our website Latest Devotions page. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) has developed and shared the following wonderful tools to help new believers get started. (Steps to Peace God and Living In Christ)

If you have questions or want to know more, please Contact Us.

Understanding what the law means to us today can be confusing and requires careful study. In Romans 10:3-5, above, Paul is not saying Jesus came to change the law or abolish the law. Paul is specifically referring to the aspect of the law in which we are to be made right with God. Instead of being made right with God through perfect execution of the law, or through sacrifices and through the earthly priesthood, we are made right with God through Jesus Christ. John 3:16-18 confirms that Jesus came not to redefine sin or redefine God’s instruction by which we are to live (e.g. the law of God) but rather to address the judgment for our sin when we fall short of fully living up to God’s standard.  Jesus did not end the law, which shows us how to live according to God’s instruction, but rather to provide a way for us to be reconciled to God when we fall short of perfectly executing God’s law. For more, please read our message onUnderstanding The Law – What Does It Mean For Us Today?

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Compassionate, Grace / Forgiveness, Merciful, Seeking God, Sin, Submitted / Servant

Sin Separates Us from God, but We Are Offered Mercy and Help

Isaiah 64 preceded the sacrifice of Yeshua on the cross. Though sin still separates us from God, we now have an open invitation through Yeshua to be reconciled with God. We must choose to seek God and His forgiveness.

Isaiah 64

Prayer for Mercy and Help

1Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down,
That the mountains might quake at Your presence—

      2As fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil—
To make Your name known to Your adversaries,
That the nations may tremble at Your presence!

      3When You did awesome things which we did not expect,
You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence.

      4For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear,
Nor has the eye seen a God besides You,
Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him.

      5You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness,
Who remembers You in Your ways.
Behold, You were angry, for we sinned,
We continued in them a long time;
And shall we be saved?

      6For all of us have become like one who is unclean,
And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;
And all of us wither like a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

      7There is no one who calls on Your name,
Who arouses himself to take hold of You;
For You have hidden Your face from us
And have delivered us into the power of our iniquities.

      8But now, O LORD, You are our Father,
We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all of us are the work of Your hand.

      9Do not be angry beyond measure, O LORD,
Nor remember iniquity forever;
Behold, look now, all of us are Your people.

      10Your holy cities have become a wilderness,
Zion has become a wilderness,
Jerusalem a desolation.

      11Our holy and beautiful house,
Where our fathers praised You,
Has been burned by fire;
And all our precious things have become a ruin.

      12Will You restrain Yourself at these things, O LORD?
Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?

Sin separates us from God, but now we have been offered redemption through Yeshua. God has offered His mercy and help. He does not stay angry forever with those who seek Him. Will you accept the free gift of reconciliation with God through Yeshua?

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Grace / Forgiveness, Justice / Judgment, Loving / Kind, Merciful, Submitted / Servant

Break the Cycle, Remain Focused on God at All Times

God’s people can often get distracted and lose focus on Him. At times, ungodly nations or forces may have power and authority over God’s people, but God is always able to clear them away in His timing. It is good to recall at all times the mercy and lovingkindness of the LORD. When we don’t, even if the LORD delivers us from the nations, we still end up with rebellion against Him. When His people rebel, God is not going to bless them. Rather, He will be against them. Then the people remember Him and all that He has done for them. Then they return.

How awesome if we could adjust this cycle and just remember the goodness of God all the time. It seems very hard to do it as a nation, but perhaps first we each need to seek to do so as individuals.

Isaiah 63

God’s Vengeance on the Nations

1Who is this who comes from Edom,
With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah,
This One who is majestic in His apparel,
Marching in the greatness of His strength?
“It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”

      2Why is Your apparel red,
And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press?

      3“I have trodden the wine trough alone,
And from the peoples there was no man with Me.
I also trod them in My anger
And trampled them in My wrath;
And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments,
And I stained all My raiment.

      4“For the day of vengeance was in My heart,
And My year of redemption has come.

      5“I looked, and there was no one to help,
And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold;
So My own arm brought salvation to Me,
And My wrath upheld Me.

      6“I trod down the peoples in My anger
And made them drunk in My wrath,
And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”

God’s Ancient Mercies Recalled

7I shall make mention of the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, the praises of the LORD,
According to all that the LORD has granted us,
And the great goodness toward the house of Israel,
Which He has granted them according to His compassion
And according to the abundance of His lovingkindnesses.

      8For He said, “Surely, they are My people,
Sons who will not deal falsely.”
So He became their Savior.

      9In all their affliction He was afflicted,
And the angel of His presence saved them;
In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them,
And He lifted them and carried them all the days of old.

      10But they rebelled
And grieved His Holy Spirit;
Therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy,
He fought against them.

      11Then His people remembered the days of old, of Moses.
Where is He who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of His flock?
Where is He who put His Holy Spirit in the midst of them,

      12Who caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses,
Who divided the waters before them to make for Himself an everlasting name,

      13Who led them through the depths?
Like the horse in the wilderness, they did not stumble;

      14As the cattle which go down into the valley,
The Spirit of the LORD gave them rest.
So You led Your people,
To make for Yourself a glorious name.

“You Are Our Father”

15Look down from heaven and see from Your holy and glorious habitation;
Where are Your zeal and Your mighty deeds?
The stirrings of Your heart and Your compassion are restrained toward me.

      16For You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us
And Israel does not recognize us.
You, O LORD, are our Father,
Our Redeemer from of old is Your name.

      17Why, O LORD, do You cause us to stray from Your ways
And harden our heart from fearing You?
Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your heritage.

      18Your holy people possessed Your sanctuary for a little while,
Our adversaries have trodden it down.

      19We have become like those over whom You have never ruled,
Like those who were not called by Your name.

Be intentional to reflect on all God has done for His people and specifically for you. Keep on praising God. Stay focused on Him. We don’t have to turn from Him and experience His displeasure in order to find Him again. We can pursue Him now!

Spend a few minutes in prayer thanking God for all He has done for His people and for you. Submit to follow His will and His instruction in your life. Give Him praise.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Discipline / Correction, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Love

Reaffirm Your Love for Those Who Repent from Sin

At times, we may separate from someone who sins, consistent with guidance in scripture. There are supposed to be consequences for sin, and we should not tolerate sin and rebellion in our fellowship.  However, once a person is truly sorrowful and repentant, we do well to reaffirm our love for them and welcome them back. This mirrors how God relates to us as well.

There are several other elements in 2 Corinthians chapter 2 worthy of consideration as well. Paul wrote the Corinthians letting them know he would not be visiting as originally planned. He gave them the letter as a rebuke out of love to help them get back on track before his next visit. He was in effect walking out with that church the very guidance I mentioned above that he gave them to deal with sinners there.

  • Indeed Paul’s rebuke through the letter is evidence of his love for these people. We correct and guide the ones we love (e.g. as we do with our children, and God with us) rather than let them stumble in darkness and sin.
  • Paul did not want his visit to be characterized by rebuke and correction. He wanted to give them a chance to correct their course with input from his letters before he would visit next. That way they could celebrate and encourage one another when he was to visit them.
  • Paul highlights the opportunity for forgiveness and comfort so that one is not overwhelmed with sorrow. Notice, that forgiveness is associated with genuine regret or sorrow of the sinner. They made a mistake and are sorrowful about it. We may infer it is likely then that they have a repentant heart.
  • Paul highlights that Satan may look to take advantage of one who repents and is sorrowful, if the body of Christ does not demonstrate forgiveness and welcome them back.
  • Paul changed his plans based on the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Too often today we dismiss such guidance from the Spirit and stick with our own plans.
  • Paul gives honor and thanks to the Lord for His guidance.

2 Corinthians 2

Reaffirm Your Love

     1But I determined this for my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again. 2For if I cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful? 3This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all. 4For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.

      5But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree—in order not to say too much—to all of you. 6Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, 7so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. 9For to this end also I wrote, so that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. 10But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

      12Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord, 13I had no rest for my spirit, not finding Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I went on to Macedonia.

      14But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. 15For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? 17For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.

Let our lives be directed by the Holy Spirit. Let our hearts be open and obedient to His guidance. Let us remember that an appropriate rebuke or correction is demonstrating  love to others to help them out of their sin. Sin is like a disease which results separation from God in this world and eternity. Only through genuinely and wholeheartedly admitting our sins, asking forgiveness, and submitting to Jesus Christ will we be saved. If we submit to Him, we will seek forgiveness and repent, turning from our sinful behavior. As a body of Christ, let us comfort and forgive those who repent and seek reconciliation with the Lord and His people. Let not the devil take advantage of one sorrow in repentance and lure them away from Christ.  Share the good news of Christ in all sincerity and with joy!

Praise our Father in heaven who is great above all creation!

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Blessed, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Loving / Kind, Protector / Deliverer, Thankfulness

Embrace Redemption in the LORD; Give Him Thanks

We all have a past. We have made mistakes. We have been far from God and His ways at times. Perhaps we have even experienced consequences of our sin as a judgment from God. This is also true of Israel as described in Isaiah 62. However, we also see, how dramatic the turnaround is when God brings redemption. He does not hold a grudge. He does not keep you partially forgiven. When He redeems you, you are fully forgiven and fully His. Our slate is wiped clean and He holds us up for His glory.

Isaiah 62

Zion’s Glory and New Name

1For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep quiet,
Until her righteousness goes forth like brightness,
And her salvation like a torch that is burning.

      2The nations will see your righteousness,
And all kings your glory;
And you will be called by a new name
Which the mouth of the LORD will designate.

      3You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD,
And a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

      4It will no longer be said to you, “Forsaken,”
Nor to your land will it any longer be said, “Desolate”;
But you will be called, “My delight is in her,”
And your land, “Married”;
For the LORD delights in you,
And to Him your land will be married.

      5For as a young man marries a virgin,
So your sons will marry you;
And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
So your God will rejoice over you.

      6On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen;
All day and all night they will never keep silent.
You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves;

      7And give Him no rest until He establishes
And makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

      8The LORD has sworn by His right hand and by His strong arm,
“I will never again give your grain as food for your enemies;
Nor will foreigners drink your new wine for which you have labored.”

      9But those who garner it will eat it and praise the LORD;
And those who gather it will drink it in the courts of My sanctuary.

      10Go through, go through the gates,
Clear the way for the people;
Build up, build up the highway,
Remove the stones, lift up a standard over the peoples.

      11Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth,
Say to the daughter of Zion, “Lo, your salvation comes;
Behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.”

      12And they will call them, “The holy people,
The redeemed of the LORD”;
And you will be called, “Sought out, a city not forsaken.”

Think of this passage not only as a message for Israel, but also one for each of us individually when we submit ourselves to God and pursue Him. He can restore each of us to a place of honor and purpose to bring Him glory.

Take a few minutes to reflect on where you are in your life on this journey to pursue God. Give Him thanks that He has made a way for us to be fully redeemed through Jesus.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Comforter, Encouragement, Grace / Forgiveness, Help / Serve Others, Interceding for Others, Peace / Rest, Strong in Our Weakness, Suffering / Adversity

Grace and Peace from God the Father and from Jesus

Take care not even to skip or skim over the sections of Paul’s letters identified as “introduction”. Let us study that as well for insight. There is much we can appreciate and apply in our lives here.

Paul gives glory to God rather than himself for his role as an apostle. He identifies his audience which is helpful in understanding context. In this case, his audience is the church… that is believers. You can study other engagements Paul has with non-believers to get a grasp on how he communicates differently with non-believers. In verse two, he again points to the Father and Christ and the powerful grace they provide and the peace that results. In verse 3, the focus is again on God the Father and Jesus Christ, highlighting the mercy and comfort we receive in our afflictions. Clearly, Paul is speaking to suffering and tough times affecting the church, and pointing them to look to God for comfort. A poignant reminder that we as believers can expect suffering and difficulty as well… and we too can look to God for comfort. Paul also points to the power of prayer from other believers and credits as tangibly helpful in bringing about God’s help through his tough times in Asia.

That’s a lot of information in an “introduction”!

2 Corinthians 1:1-11

Introduction

     1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia:

      2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

      3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 6But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; 7and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.

      8For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; 9indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; 10who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, 11you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.

Are you facing suffering and burdens that seem to overwhelm you? Do you know others who are? Pray for God to help you and others. Seek and find comfort in the Lord. In Him, we are to place our hope.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Blessed, Compassionate, Faithful, Grace / Forgiveness, Humility, Loving / Kind, Protector / Deliverer, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God

He Is Ready to Show Grace, if You Are Ready to Repent

Grace is giving someone what they do not deserve. God tells us repeatedly in the Bible that He wants to show us grace, but will wait on us to turn toward Him in genuine repentance.

Isaiah 30 is an impactful scripture about God’s grace following the sin of His people.  I encourage you to click the link and read all of it for full context. The first seven verses reveal how the people of Judah turned away from God and made a treaty with Egypt for protection instead of trusting God. Verses 8-11 reveal how the people have rejected God’s messengers who bring His instruction.  Verses 12-17 tell how futile and worthless is the path the people chose instead of following God’s instructions. It will not serve them well.  And in the center of this outright rebellion toward God, God still offers grace when the people repent starting in verse 18. But they must turn to Him.

Isaiah 30:18-26

18 So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God.
Blessed are those who wait for his help.

19 O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. He will be gracious if you ask for help. He will surely respond to the sound of your cries. 20 Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes.
21 Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. 22 Then you will destroy all your silver idols and your precious gold images. You will throw them out like filthy rags,
saying to them, “Good riddance!”

23 Then the Lord will bless you with rain at planting time. There will be wonderful harvests and plenty of pastureland for your livestock. 24 The oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat good grain, its chaff blown away by the wind. 25 In that day, when your enemies are slaughtered and the towers fall, there will be streams of water flowing down every mountain and hill. 26 The moon will be as bright as the sun, and the sun will be seven times brighter—like the light of seven days in one! So it will be when the Lord begins to heal his people and cure the wounds he gave them.

Anyone who expects God to be gracious while still openly rejecting and rebelling against Him will be disappointed. God is willing to extend grace, but we must turn toward Him with genuine repentance.  God is waiting for us to come to Him and His grace is truly wonderful.

Take time in prayer right now and accept and acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord. Come humbly toward Him with repentance and receive His love and compassion.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Grace / Forgiveness, Heaven and Hell, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Miracles

Resurrection Is Not “Fair”, But Rather It Abounds In Grace

What a marvelous passage of scripture to explore in 1 Corinthians 15, as Paul teaches the Corinthian church about resurrection. I can’t help but appreciate the time he spends on Adam and Christ. Many may feel it is “unfair” that sin entered the human race through one man. They act as if we are not all subject to making the same type of sinful mistake as Adam. But for those who are looking for “fair”, take heed, it is not fair that Christ died and through Him, we all will be made alive through resurrection… but it is glorious and abounding in grace.  It is more than we deserve by a standard of “fair”.  Praise God that He is not “fair” in our eyes.  Everything will be in subjection to Christ, including death itself.

Resurrection is fundamental to the Christian faith. Without the resurrection, we would not have the hope of eternal life with the Father. It should affect our whole worldview in terms of living for the short term of this earthly life or living with eternity in mind… which I admit is hard for me to do in my day-to-day activities.

How interesting for Paul to explore what the heavenly body will be like. People can get distracted by some things which are not of primary importance. Do we need to know what kind of heavenly body we will receive to know we should follow and obey the Father? No. But some can get so distracted they miss the point. Paul highlights the expectation that when it is time, at Christ’s second coming, those that are His will be raised into heavenly bodies. The bodies are different from our earthly bodies and glorious reflecting heaven rather than earth.

1 Corinthians 15:20-49

The Order of Resurrection

     20But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, 24then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 27For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. 28When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.

      29Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them? 30Why are we also in danger every hour? 31I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE. 33Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 34Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

      35But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?” 36You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; 37and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. 40There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. 41There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

      42So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; 43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.

Praise the Father that He is not “fair”! Praise Him that we are raised through Christ who was first raised. Praise Him that we can look forward with eternity and heaven in mind and new heavenly bodies once the old ones have gone and Christ returns.

As a side note, when we perish we go to be with the Lord immediately (assuming a true believer and follower of Christ). Scripture indicates we get our heavenly bodies when Christ returns. In the meanwhile I suppose we are with Him in spirit alone and without body. I don’t claim to have it all figured out, but I know the One who does and I choose to follow Him.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Grace / Forgiveness, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Loving / Kind, Merciful

God Offers Us Mercy, and at No Cost to Us

God offers us mercy at no cost to us. We simply need to accept it and come submit to Him as our Lord. This free offer of mercy from the Lord comes through the person of Jesus (Yeshua, in Hebrew). He is enough for all. When we partake of Jesus, we will never be thirsty again (John 4:10-14). We find life, an everlasting covenant, forgiveness, peace, and joy. Truly, what good reason could anyone have for rejecting such an offer?

Isaiah 55

The Free Offer of Mercy

1“Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters;
And you who have no money come, buy and eat.
Come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without cost.

      2“Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And delight yourself in abundance.

      3“Incline your ear and come to Me.
Listen, that you may live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
According to the faithful mercies shown to David.

      4“Behold, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
A leader and commander for the peoples.

      5“Behold, you will call a nation you do not know,
And a nation which knows you not will run to you,
Because of the LORD your God, even the Holy One of Israel;
For He has glorified you.”

      6Seek the LORD while He may be found;
Call upon Him while He is near.

      7Let the wicked forsake his way
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
And let him return to the LORD,
And He will have compassion on him,
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.

      8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.

      9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

      10“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

      11So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

      12“For you will go out with joy
And be led forth with peace;
The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you,
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

      13“Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up,
And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up,
And it will be a memorial to the LORD,
For an everlasting sign which will not be cut off.”

I am so very grateful that God does not wait for us to deserve or earn His mercy and goodness. He generously offers it to us. Jesus paid the price.

Take time to thank God in prayer. Ask Him to show you any areas in which you still need to fully submit to God and His ways. Let go of any areas in your life where you are doing things your way instead of His way.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Grace / Forgiveness, Seeking God

Our God Restores Our Relationship with Him!

When God is for you, who can be against you? In Isaiah 54 we see God is restoring Israel after a period of punishment. There is great joy and hope in this renewed relationship. There is a promise of growth and prosperity and defense against enemies.

Many of us have difficult pasts where we have sinned against God. Let us be encouraged that we can be forgiven. We can renew our covenant or start fresh for the first time with God even after we have sinned greatly. He forgives. He restores. Through Yeshua, we are all invited to be restored to God and forgiven of our sins. Be hopeful. Draw near to God.

As you read Isaiah 54, realize that God has not changed. He forgives those who repent and will renew His covenant with you. It is not too late. You are not unforgivable. Our God is a God of restoration!

Isaiah 54

The Fertility of Zion

1“Shout for joy, O barren one, you who have borne no child;
Break forth into joyful shouting and cry aloud, you who have not travailed;
For the sons of the desolate one will be more numerous
Than the sons of the married woman,” says the LORD.

      2“Enlarge the place of your tent;
Stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, spare not;
Lengthen your cords
And strengthen your pegs.

      3“For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left.
And your descendants will possess nations
And will resettle the desolate cities.

      4“Fear not, for you will not be put to shame;
And do not feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced;
But you will forget the shame of your youth,
And the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.

      5“For your husband is your Maker,
Whose name is the LORD of hosts;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel,
Who is called the God of all the earth.

      6“For the LORD has called you,
Like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
Even like a wife of one’s youth when she is rejected,”
Says your God.

      7“For a brief moment I forsook you,
But with great compassion I will gather you.

      8“In an outburst of anger
I hid My face from you for a moment,
But with everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you,”
Says the LORD your Redeemer.

      9“For this is like the days of Noah to Me,
When I swore that the waters of Noah
Would not flood the earth again;
So I have sworn that I will not be angry with you
Nor will I rebuke you.

      10“For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake,
But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you,
And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,”
Says the LORD who has compassion on you.

      11“O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted,
Behold, I will set your stones in antimony,
And your foundations I will lay in sapphires.

      12“Moreover, I will make your battlements of rubies,
And your gates of crystal,
And your entire wall of precious stones.

      13“All your sons will be taught of the LORD;
And the well-being of your sons will be great.

      14“In righteousness you will be established;
You will be far from oppression, for you will not fear;
And from terror, for it will not come near you.

      15“If anyone fiercely assails you it will not be from Me.
Whoever assails you will fall because of you.

      16“Behold, I Myself have created the smith who blows the fire of coals
And brings out a weapon for its work;
And I have created the destroyer to ruin.

      17“No weapon that is formed against you will prosper;
And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
And their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD.

Come before the LORD in prayer for a few minutes right now. Ask Him to forgive you through Yeshua and commit to living His way. Thank Him for forgiveness and mercy and restoration. Trust in Him!

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.