The Same As Jesus

Ever wonder if you are loved? Are there times you feel as though no one cares? Are you looking for confirmation God loves you? Do you trust Jesus at His word? Have you read what He was praying to the Father on your behalf?

There are times we experience doubts. The doubts creep in when things are not going our way. They come when people we trust turn their backs on us. Doubts are sown by Satan, especially when he knows we disobey in the smallest of ways.

It is during the times of doubt that we need to read Jesus’ words again. It is when we are being mistreated or persecuted, we need to hold fast, trusting Jesus. Jesus has told us the truth of the matter. He has told us how much God loves us.

How do we access the love of God? In today’s passage, Jesus tells us God’s love is shown, proven, and accessed through unity in the body of Christ. In other words, it is through our interaction with other Christians. It comes through our unified belief in Jesus. It comes through the family of God.

God can, and sometimes does, display His love for people in one-on-one action. But that is not His normal modus operandi. God works through others, in community to express Himself. As I have heard and repeated myself, “You cannot be a lone ranger Christian.” We must be in a community of Christians. We need the support that comes through that community.

When in a well-functioning community of Christ that is unified, God expresses the same love for us that He has for Jesus. Yes, the very same love. God loves each of us in the same way He loves Jesus. He loves us far deeper than any love we can experience on this earth.

I pray we all seek to be in community with other Christians. I pray we trust Jesus at His word. I pray each one of us knows and experiences the love of God in our lives. Be part of a Christian community. Experience God’s love. Know that God loves you. God loves you the same as He loves Jesus.

John 17:22-23I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Burden Carrying

Have you caught a fellow Christian in sin? What did you do about it? Have you been caught in a sin? What was done about your sin? Do you know what we should do? Are we to carry out punishment? Are we to demonstrate grace and mercy?

Our culture is two-faced. We want to dish out punishment for sins. We say that people deserve the punishment for being disobedient…until it we get caught. When we are on the hot seat, we beg for mercy. We promise not to do it again if we are let off.

As Christians, we are to be different. We often equate being different to showing love to one another. That is one way we are to be different, but not the only one. Being a Christian is about being a community. It includes supporting, helping, correcting, and carrying one another in love. It includes showing grace and mercy to one another.

It is true that each one of us is to put our best foot forward. But it is also true we are not to ostracize someone to fails. Instead, we are to pick them up, stand beside them, and help them get back on the correct path. It doesn’t mean there will not be repercussions for the misstep, especially if the misstep includes breaking a law. It does mean the person should not face the situation alone.

I have been in that type of environment. When I was a young Marine, the platoon I was assigned to was a close-knit group. We might pick on each other, but no one outside our platoon was allowed. If someone did, they faced the entire platoon. Are our churches like that? We are to carry one another’s burdens. We are to stand with our brothers and sisters.

I pray we all commit to standing with our fellow Christians. I pray we show grace and mercy to one another. I pray each one of us will lovingly help carry the burdens of our brothers and sisters. Demonstrate grace. Show mercy. Carry other’s burdens. Demonstrate the love of God to your brothers and sisters.

Galatians 6:1-2 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

From The Beginning

Do you know how long Jesus has existed? Do you believe it is approximately two-thousand years? Would you be surprised if I told you it was much longer than that? What if I told you everything was created through Him?

Many people think Jesus did not exist until Mary gave birth to Him. It is fair to believe that from a human perspective. Yet, Jesus is both divine and human. From a divine perspective, Jesus existed long before He was born as a human.

This is just one instance in which we do not fully understand the story of God. However, I have seen in more recent years more Christians grasping the understanding that Jesus existed before He was born to Mary and Joseph. As more Christians are returning to studying the Bible rather than simply listening to someone preach, we see them gaining a deeper understanding of God.

It has been a long time coming. For a few decades, people grew lazy. Rather than reading and studying the Bible themselves, they sat back in the pews and expected the preacher to tell them what they needed to know. Unfortunately, a preacher can only cover so much in a fifteen- or twenty-minute sermon. I find it challenging at times to cover a passage within an hour-long Bible study session.

No, preacher’s do the best they can, but they can only scratch the surface during a sermon. Perhaps that is why Paul preached several hours until a young man fell asleep and fell out a window (Acts 20:7-12). Thankfully, Paul was able to revive him.

Jesus was known as the Word during creation. When He became flesh, he became known as Jesus. Therefore, it is through Jesus that all things were created. Also notice, today’s passage states the Word was God. Therefore, Jesus is God.I pray we all realize Jesus existed before creation. I pray we recognize Jesus as God. I pray each one of us dig deeper into the Bible to study it and see how God’s Word connects throughout it. Know who Jesus is. See Him as Creator. See Him as God. Know that Jesus has always existed. Study the Bible. See the connections.

John 1:1-2, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning…. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Unfailing Love

Do you have doubts about God’s love for you? Do you sometimes think God has turned His back on you? Are you unsure about your future? Would you like to have some assurance things will be alright? You can have it.

God’s love for us is never ending. His love is unfailing. God continues to love us regardless of what we have done or the situation we are in. He doesn’t care if we are rich or poor. He doesn’t care if we are male or female. It doesn’t matter if we are healthy or ill.

When we think God has abandoned us, it is us who have abandoned Him. God is always with us. He is with us in the form of His Holy Spirit. Don’t think so? Jesus was also called Immanuel—God with us. This is a prime example of God’s love for us.

Think about this for just a moment. As the Creator, God has created us. Unlike the possibility of a parent who may not love their children, God always loves His children. God is the very definition of love. He cannot not love.

We sometimes mistake discipline or repercussions from our bad choices as God not loving us. If we fall for that, we are listening to Satan’s lies. Satan loves to lie to us. He wants us to believe God has abandoned us. His goal is to pull us away from God with false beliefs—lies.

Maintain your belief that God loves you. Know that He will never abandon you. God’s love is unfailing. He will remain with you in all situations, even when you are suffering repercussions from bad decisions. God loves each person walking this earth.

I pray we all remember God loves us. I pray we remember God is always with us. I pray each one of us will love God at all times, returning His love to Him. Know God will not abandon you. Know He is always with you. Know God always loves you. Love God. Turn to Him at all times.

Psalm 13:5

But I trust in your unfailing love;

my heart rejoices in your salvation.

Perfection Through Obedience

What concerns you today? Are you in anguish over something? What would you like to change? Is there something in your life that needs rescuing? Are you in need of being saved? Have you chosen to obey God?

We all need rescuing from something. There is something in our lives that needs God’s attention. We may be in a situation we cannot get out of on our own. We may have a favorite sin that continues to hound us, prompting us to rebel against God.

How do we overcome whatever it is in our lives that continues to derail us or cause us anguish? There is only one way to overcome, it is with God’s help. We are weak people. We fall prey to the desires of the flesh. Our weakness draws us into bad situations. Our weakness allows us to be lured where we should not go.

Jesus was perfect while walking this earth. He obeyed every step of the way. Though He did not want to go to the cross, He went out of obedience to the Father. Because of His obedience, we may have eternal salvation. Because He understands our weakness and human desires, He has become our perfect interceder.

Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to help us. He does not merely help us get out of those bad situations. He helps us by guiding us in our daily lives. He provides guidance in all situations. Our job is to listen. Jesus is with us, through His Spirit, every step of the way. Because He has already walked this earth perfectly, He can guide us through our lives perfectly.

I pray we all look to Jesus to guide us. I pray we seek His guidance at all times, in all situations. I pray each one of us will turn our weakness over to Jesus and allow Him to make us strong. Seek Jesus. Seek His guidance. Listen for His guidance. Follow His guidance. Know you have salvation through Jesus. Obey God.

Hebrews 5:7-10 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

See God At Work

Do you want to know what God is doing? Would you like to see what He is up to? Would you like to understand what He is doing and why?

We all like to understand. It doesn’t matter if it is why our spouse does something or how to do our jobs. We like knowing and understanding. It gives us a sense of control.

Unfortunately, it is a false sense when we look at the things of this world. We also often think it is impossible to understand what God is doing. Yet, it is not as difficult as we make it.

Jesus explained to the two men on the road to Emmaus how the Old Testament pointed to Him. He explained why all that happened had to happen. He explained why the crucifixion. He explained why He would rise again. I’m sure He even explained the virgin birth.

God has gifted each of us His Holy Spirit. Jesus said the Holy Spirit would explain what He taught (John 14:26). We merely need to open our minds, open our hearts and listen for the Spirit to teach us. How do we open our minds? The Apostle Paul says we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds in Romans 12:2. That means we must allow God to renew our minds.

I pray we all open our minds and our hearts. I pray we seek to understand what God is doing. I pray each of us seek to understand what Jesus taught and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal it to us. Open your eyes. Open your heart. Open your mind. Seek to understand God’s plan. You can understand.

Luke 24:25-27 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

Wisdom From Heaven

Have you noticed all the upheaval in our nation, our world? Would you love to see peace win the day? Would you like to be part of the solution? Does it appear to be overwhelming? Do you realize you can help?

We see discontent all around us. We disagree with decisions being made by leadership. Our disgruntlement deepens and the gap expands. Our culture screams for tolerance and yet is intolerant. We see the very people who want others to understand them refuse to try to understand others.

We hear people who claim to be followers of Jesus calling for renewal, yet they do not pursue it. We see people who march for change reject any change they do not like. Our culture has ceased to think beyond ourselves and their own personal agendas. We consistently fail to use the brains God gave us to evaluate all perspectives before opening our mouths or take action.

The wise person does not speak quickly but listens (Proverbs 12:14-19, 17:27-28). The implication is the wise person thinks through the situation, attempts to see all angles, and formulates the appropriate answer before speaking. This is the way of wisdom.

How do we acquire wisdom? We ask God for it, and He gives it generously (James 1:5). It is wisdom that will change our world, even if only us personally. Without wisdom, we are no more than sounding gongs making noise and creating more discontent. To be part of the solution, we need to do less talking, more listening, more thinking, and more praying. By doing so, God will open our eyes, open our ears, and renew our minds. Then we can make a positive impact.

I pray we all seek the wisdom of God. I pray we listen more and speak less. I pray each one of us will spend time thinking, evaluating, and praying, asking God to reveal His wisdom to us. Seek wisdom. Listen. Evaluate. Remove preconceived notions. Ask God to renew your mind. Be a positive impact.

James 3:17-18 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

Light Revealed

What are you seeking that seems to be hidden? What are you looking for that is concealed from you? Are you looking in the right place? Are your eyes open? Are you ears open, listening for the proper clues? Do you believe you will find it?

We may be seeking the ever-elusive perfect mate. We may be seeking the earnestly sought-after promotion. It often seems as though the things we long for are just out of reach, never quite attainable. But what if we could seek and attain what we need?

We have often heard today’s passage taught to us as a deterrence for doing wrong. We are taught that all things will be revealed. Though that may be true, that is not really the context for this passage. No, when we look at the context of Scripture around today’s passage, none of it points to our bad behavior or habits being revealed.

If it is not about our dirty laundry being cast into the open, what is it about? Let’s first answer another question. Who is the light? Jesus, of course. If He is the light (or lamp), He is being brought out into the open. Though God’s plan had once been concealed, with glimpses provided by the prophets, it is now being revealed.

Jesus is telling the crowd around Him and us to open our ears. We are to hear Him. We are to see Him. We are to seek an understanding of what He is teaching. He has laid it out for us. He has shown His light into this world. He has revealed the Father in Himself and gifted us with the Holy Spirit. It is up to us to open our eyes to see what He has done and continues to do in this world.

I pray we all see the light of Jesus. I pray we hear His teaching. I pray each one of us will open our eyes to see what Jesus has done and continues to do in our lives. See the light. See Jesus. He has revealed God’s plan. He has brought God into the open for all. Hear His voice. Understand His teaching. See God at work.

Mark 4:21-23 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Ask, Seek, Knock

Do you consider yourself to be a seeker? Are you a person who yearns to know? Do you continue to ask until you get an answer? Are you driven to know what is going on? Do you seek to understand why?

Too many people can answer “Yes” to the above questions. Unfortunately, their desire is to know what others are doing. It is to hear gossip. Their desire to hear the latest about someone else can drive them to the brink of disaster.

But there is One we can seek who is very healthy for us to know. As we grow in knowledge of Him, our life continues to improve. As we continue to ask for Him to reveal Himself, He reveals what we desire. As we desire to know Him, He opens Himself to be known.

We have the written Word of God to reveal His nature, His guidance, His will for us. If we are seekers and desire to know Him, reading His Word will reveal Him. It won’t happen in a quick reading. It won’t happen by reading the Bible like a novel. It will only happen when we ask Him to reveal Himself and by our diligent study of His Word.

Jesus promised to give us the knowledge we seek about Him. He promised to open the door to knowledge and understanding if we ask Him. It is not a matter of Him being hidden but of our desire to know Him. Will we truly seek Him out?

I pray we all will seek to know Jesus. I pray we desire to know Him deeply and understand His teaching. I pray each one of us will ask Jesus to reveal Himself to us. Be a seeker of Jesus. Yearn to know Him deeply. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Be driven to understand Jesus. Know that He will make Himself known.

Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Greater Than Solomon

Do you seek knowledge? Do you seek wisdom? Are you listening for it? Are you paying attention? Are there people in your life you consider to be wise? Do you take their messages to heart? Have you considered listening to the words of Jesus?

Most of us have or had someone who is/was older and wiser in our lives. They are the one we go to for advice. We trust they will think through the situation, looking at it from all angles. We trust they will provide wise guidance or ask questions to cause us to come to the best solution.

We may have followed their guidance in the past and it worked out just as they said. On the other hand, perhaps we have ignored their guidance and it worked out just as they said to our own detriment. Sometimes we learn to follow guidance from the wise through our own failure.

It has been said that the Bible provides us guidance for living. Though that is true, it falls short of the full breadth of wisdom in the Bible. Jesus came bearing not just wisdom for this life but for eternal life. Yes, Jesus provides principles to live by in His teachings and parables. But He also gives a warning for those who deny Him and good news to those who will listen to Him.

Solomon is often called the wisest of the kings of Israel. He wrote a large portion of Proverbs, the wise sayings. It is great advice for this life. But notice what Jesus says in today’s passage. He is wiser than Solomon. It is no wonder. Jesus is God incarnate. If we believe that, we should be listening to Him.

I pray we all choose to listen to Jesus. I pray we read His words and listen to His guidance and good news. I pray each one of us will spend time absorbing and understanding what Jesus teaches us. Seek knowledge. Seek wisdom. Read Jesus’ words. Hear His guidance. Understand His wise counsel. Live for eternal life.

Matthew 12:42 “The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.”