Hello sisters!
I'm coming back here to lift up the Lord Jesus Christ our precious Saviour. I'm thankful that God sent His beloved Son into the world for us...while we were yet sinners.
And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.Mark 9:7
Let us hear Him who God has sent...Himself! There are serious consequences if we don't (You can read Hebrews 10:26-31 and many others for that.).
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.1 John 4:9
He is God's only begotten and there is no other name whereby we must be saved. Praise God we can be adopted into His family though and become His sons and daughters!
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.Ephesians 1:5-6
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Romans 8:15-17
That is wonderful! God turns people from children of satan to children of God through the new birth! That truly is a miracle!
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.Acts 26:18
I hope you're pressing on after Him in good works that please Him and are acceptable! We are truly blessed in Him.
Praise God we believe and trust in our Saviour! And our love and obedience follows hard on that! When we do focus on Him and all His goodness and all He did for us and knowing it is only through Him we can come to God then serving Him is what we want to do and living by His written Word! I do believe we can over focus on us and our actions and that may be in an overreaction to those who 'underfocus' on them but they are important as the scriptures are full of commands which if we don't need them why are they there? God doesn't waste His Words and time telling us what is pleasing to Him if it's not important and I am thankful for His Word to live by in this world that walks after it's own ways. His commands are not grievous. Loving God is indeed part of our response to the gospel!
Let us continue in the faith lest we fall short.
Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
Romans 11:22
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
John 15:5-6
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.James 2:26
Our faith in Christ leads us to action. But there truly are some that do not focus on the Lord, and their actions become the focus. We do no want to be walking in any partial truths so let us test ourselves always and truly trust in the Lord for our salvation. We do not want to be in the other extreme error of just some vague belief in Jesus that people think will save them. No our faith must be real and truly believing in the true Christ and all He said which will be inseparable from much action...a total life change in fact. Let's truly ponder this scripture sisters...
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Titus 2:11-14
I was thinking how our mindsets can change in areas we don't even think of overtime. It's been four years or so since I quit celebrating my birthday...or allowing others to rather. But I just found myself thinking how wrong it would seem now to make me the center of attention even for a day. My life is all about Christ (to live is Christ!) and I am nothing without Him. I want to be loving on my sisters every day and serving others rather than me being lifted up. Truly I am nothing. My life is dead and I am hid with Christ in God! While turning another year older is nothing to consider sin of course as we know God gives us life and the years which roll by and speaks of how old many were in the Word. But the whole practice of celebrating birthdays has many things that should be concerning to a saint including pagan ways and just general ways of the world like materialism/covetousness and a human focus. While I did turn another year older this month...it's just another day and another year to live for Him and rejoicing to walk in His newness of life! Our spiritual new life in Christ is more glorious to continue to rejoice in and work on than our physical one as our bodies will return to dust but our spirits are eternal. It is more glorious to think of that day when we die to go be with the Lord forever and I am laying aside every weight and sin (including worldly birthdays) that beset me from running my race and attaining that life.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Hebrews 12:1-3
Just sharing some thoughts that came to mind as they do sometimes and it's good to ponder something you haven't for awhile I guess.
This scripture came to mind after reading one about denying the Lord.
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.Luke 9:23
We don't deny our Lord but we do deny ourselves! That's something worth pondering on and the depths of what it really means to deny ourselves.
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.Matthew 10:33
And we know Peter and the disciples were tested and although they had every good intention not to, at the greatest hour of affliction they failed. Let us press on in obedience after our Lord no matter the cost and not seek to save our own life. We take our Lord and all He is and commands of us and definately not making up our own Jesus that doesn't say the hard things either.
We can deny Him by our works contrary to His commands of which we don't want to do.
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.Titus 1:16
We want to be meek submitted obedient holy daughters of God don't we sisters. Let us press on in this.
I'm going to be having some busy days cleaning up the house here (it's just me here now so that can be my focus) then travelling back again, all if the Lord wills. We just keep going in our days don't we sisters...whatever they have in them whether they don't change much or have some changes or even drastic changes! We can keep stedfast on Christ our Rock of truth through it all. We're blessed to have that.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.1 Peter 5:10-11
Keep pressing on in Him my sisters! Grow not weary in well doing!
Love to you all in our Lord,
Sister Chayil
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