Posts Tagged ‘ Jesus ’
“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6, ESV
We have been sent into the world to change it for God in the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
May we worship Him in confidence knowing He goes before and with us to accomplish this good work.
A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
Isaiah 40:3-4, ESV
At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.
Our sins have stacked up to heaven, deeper and more vile than we could know.
The sin we all commit and have committed have left rocks in our path that we trip over, created potholes that we stumble in, and knocked down debris that block our way and push us to different paths.
The Prophets of old worked to prepare people for God.
John was born to begin preparing hearts for the coming Messiah, claiming he was the fulfillment of this passage. (Matthew 3:1-3; Luke 3:1-5)
The Baptizer called us to repent, to change our thinking and actions, to prepare for our Savior.
We still struggle to be clean and clear, to obey and love.
We can prepare ourselves by seeking our Creator and Savior who is capable of leveling out our lives, knowing that only in Him is it completely possible.
We will still stumble and deal with consequences for our sins, but the way is made easier in Christ.
May we seek the Lord who helps us, preparing ourselves by seeking His path.
Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
Psalm 95:6, ESV
To change the world, we have to start with ourselves.
How should we start?
Let us worship our Maker and Savior!
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12, ESV
Our world is shadowed in the darkness of sin and rebellion, but our Light and Lord has come to us.
Turn to Jesus, our source of life.
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
Isaiah 40:1-2, ESV
At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.
Our sins have stacked up to heaven, deeper and more vile than we could know.
The pain those sins have caused have made this world and much of our lives dark and burdensome.
We have hurt ourselves and each other as we have ignored and run from God.
We have caused so much pain and grief to ourselves and each other as we acted selfishly and without regard for others.
We can prepare ourselves by beginning to look at our own wickedness and need for forgiveness.
We can prepare ourselves by seeking our Creator and Savior who is capable of removing our burdens and sins.
May we seek the Lord who offers His comfort, preparing ourselves by seeking His truth.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV
We seek God because He has giving us the gift of grace through faith, saving us from ourselves.
May we share the news of this gift with others!
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Isaiah 9:6-7, ESV
At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.
We may do horrible things to ourselves, to each other, and against God.
We tend to commit so many injustices against each other, to seek manufactured kindness and perceived justice that still harms others, even intentionally.
His Kingdom is growing in this world, but there is still much work to be done.
Our mighty God is destroying strongholds and bringing peace to individuals and groups.
He became one of us here onthe earth, being born in the natural way, but He is currently reigning from Heaven. He has sent His Counselor to live in and through us to spread His rule across the globe and time.
We have failed time and again, yet He works in and through us – the redeemed of the Lord – to bring about righteousness.
So we do not lose heart in this broken and wicked world, rather we join with our Lord in zealously seeking those whom will be saved and ushering in the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.
May we seek the Lord who works in us to spread His kindness and grace and justice.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
1 Peter 1:3, ESV
The Father draws us to the Son. By His grace, we seek Him and find everlasting hope.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope
Psalm 130:5, ESV
As we seek God, He grants us peace and we find hope in His promises, including His immenent return.
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing
Matthew 6:3, ESV
Seeking God will lead us to want to help others the same way Christ helped us, not so much to bring attention to ourselves but to glorify God, to bring others to faith and salvation.
a simple man of God 