God’s Holy Word!

What motivates you?
It’s not what motivates me, it’s Who motivates me! God’s loving Words motivates me!

What has any one of us done for God, or given to God that he should have sent his Son, Jesus, to save us? We have done nothing to deserve salvation. We have done nothing to deserve any of the blessings we have been given. It is only through the unconditional love of God that any of this has been done. True, we can look around and see that others may be better looking or smarter, or healthier or wealthier than others. There will be those who seem to have more and we might feel cheated. But just as they did nothing to deserve what they have, we have done nothing to deserve what we have. God’s gifts are not based on whether or not we deserve what we have but the gifts we have been given fit into his plan for our benefit and the benefit of others. Many years ago there was a movie called “It’s A Wonderful Life.” In the movie the main character feels like he is a failure and that it would have been better if he had never been born. In the course of the movie, he learns about how his life has touched others in both major and minor ways. But each person he touched also influenced the lives of others. We don’t always see the effect our lives have on others, but God does. If we never existed, someone’s life would have been less for our not being there. The most important thing we have received is the gift of eternal life and none of us have done anything to deserve that. And so we pray as Paul did:

Grace, Mercy and all Glory to God

Amen

Rather Clothe Yourself With Jesus!

What do you enjoy most about writing?
VERSE OF THE WEEK
“Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”
Romans 13:14

ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
It can be easy to become anxious over things that seem out of control. Scripture reminds us that Jesus will be with his followers in scary and uncertain times and all the way into eternity.

“Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff ​— ​they comfort me.” 
Psalms 23:4 (CSB)

Verse to consider when old enemies show signs of becoming friends… “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” 
Matthew 5:9

CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
Disastrous weather is a stark reminder that sin broke all of creation, not just humankind. In the face of chaos and fear, share your hope in the God who will make his entire creation new again.
 
“​​See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered… the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.” 
Isaiah 65:17, 19

Continuing Present Tense Life

1 John 1:7 (NIV®)
If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

I’ll admit I wasn’t completely engaged when my English teachers talked about verb tenses. I was more interested by the time I was older and got to study Greek, and I learned the verbs in this passage are continuing present tense. A literal reading says something like this: If we continually walk, we continually have fellowship, and Jesus’ blood continually cleanses us. That brings something to light that is not apparent at first: The promise of cleansing is conditional upon walking in the light and fellowshipping with one another. This is one of the many times where Scripture says we actually need to interact with one another in order to reach spiritual maturity. The purpose of Christian fellowship and friendships is not to fool everyone into thinking we’ve got it all together. Their purpose is to remind us of the power of God that is available to deliver us, to cleanse us, and to give us the encouragement we need to face the challenges of today.

THINK ABOUT IT
Christian fellowship helps us keep our eyes on God and builds unity. As we pray, worship, and praise, we grow in Christ.

PRAYER
Heavenly Father, help me consistently walk in the light of Your truth and in fellowship with those who are Yours. Thank You for the blood of Jesus that continually cleanses me, for Your protection, and for Your continual deliverance. In Jesus’ name, amen.