bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Faith, Jesus Follower, Uncategorized

His Promised Freedom

โ€œI, theย Lord, have calledย you in 
righteousness;
ย ย ย ย I will take hold of your hand.
I will keepย you and will make you
ย ย ย ย to be a covenantย for the people
ย ย ย ย and a lightย for the Gentiles,
ย to open eyes that are blind,
ย ย ย ย to freeย captives from prison
ย ย ย ย and to release from the dungeon 
those who sit in darkness.
Isaiah 42:6-7

In the United States, during particularly heated political disagreements, youโ€™ll hear a lot about an issueโ€™s โ€œconstitutionality.โ€   The United States Constitution is our countryโ€™s guardrails.  Itโ€™s our safety net and our guiding path for laws.  To many, it was a divinely created document.  The wisdom and foresight our founding fathers had when creating it was nothing short of amazing.  

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Preamble, United States Constitution

The precursor to the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, was a bold statement by many of the same people.  For some, it was like signing their own death warrant.  But the goal of both was not to create a new kingdom where one man would rule the peasants.  No, it was to place God firmly as the head and the people to organize and live in His ways.  Lest anyone try to convince you different, a visit to the highest court in the United States โ€“ the Supreme Court โ€“ will show images of Moses and the Ten Commandments in both sculpture and engraving form.  Enshrined on the bronze doors of the Chief Justice of the court you will find these same images.  

And although the Ten Commandments and the US Constitution have the commonality of โ€œdo notโ€ in their directives, so much of what they are purposed to do is about freedom.ย ย The Constitution, unlike many world government founding documents, is about limiting what the government can do to its citizens โ€“ giving a wide berth to freedom.ย ย And the basis is that our freedoms are given by God and God alone.ย ย 

Likewise, Godโ€™s plan and promise for us is about freedom.  When we accept Him as our safety net, our guiding path, He removes not just the past sin, but puts us on the path to removing the future desire to sin.  He takes the alcoholic and the drug addict and the sexually immoral out of their old ways and leads them to freedom.  He opens our eyes to His love and compels us to live in our new selves by loving others as Christ loves us.  He removes the fears and anxieties that imprison us by giving us eternal life.  

I lived a lot of my life as a โ€œwoulda,โ€ โ€œcoulda,โ€ shoulda,โ€ person.  It was a prison of my own making.  And the world was happy to hold the key.  I never felt good enough or kind enough or smart enough.  I looked out of my prison bars at people that seemed happy and fulfilled.  I allowed competitiveness and outrage and hurt and worldly desires take control of my heart, mind and soul.  I sat in the darkness of the dungeon.

By all accounts I looked to have a perfect life.  A very busy and active life.  But I prayed constantly for joy and peace and lightness of spirit.  Yes, you got that right โ€“ I was a believer and still felt this way.  And one day I realized I believed but I didnโ€™t follow.  You see, we can believe in all kinds of things but then not pay much attention to them.   There are many people in the United States that understand the laws and Constitution but choose not to follow what it says.  That leads to tumult and strife.  I believed in God but I didnโ€™t believe God. I read the Bible but didn’t put my full faith and trust in its directives and lessons.

Therefore, if the Son makes you free, 
you shall be free indeed.
John 8:36

The day I decided to grab hold of Godโ€™s safety net was the day He smiled at me and said, โ€œFinally.โ€ย ย It set me firmly on His path to removing the old me and old lies and refocusing my sights on what God wants from me.ย It was freeing.ย ย My eyes are truly open and my prison bars have melted away. I have chosen not to dance around the hard lessons of the Bible, His Word. And in doing so I have found my life so much simpler.

For those who are led by the 
Spirit of Godย are the children 
of God.ย The Spiritย you received 
does not make you slaves, so that 
you live in fear again;ย rather, 
the Spirit you received brought 
about your adoption to sonship.
Romans 8:14-15

We are so good at disobedience — since the beginning of time. And we don’t like people to tell us what to do. And for many, following God is seen as taking away freedoms. It’s true, we aren’t to engage in any number of sinful behaviors. But time and time again society proves that so much of that behavior creates bondage rather than freedom.

When we follow the laws of our communities, we find ourselves in safer and calmer environments.  When we follow and believe God, He opens our eyes and unlocks our prison doors.  He promises a life of joy, a love greater than we can ever know, and eternal salvation.

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Faith, Jesus Follower, Uncategorized

The Addition of Peace

The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
    from all faces;
he will remove his peopleโ€™s disgrace
    from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.
Isaiah 25:8

As I write this, we are only a few weeks away from Christmas.  Around this time, we frequently see the phrase, โ€œPeace on Earth!โ€  But like so many popularized snippets in the Bible the meaning can be confused when interpreted from a worldly point of view.  โ€œPeaceโ€ so often means a lack of something โ€“ strife, war, noise, chaos.  But in Godโ€™s universe, it is an addition of something.

The misconstrued meaning of God’s peace

Having grown up in San Diego I had the fortunate experience of learning to sail.  As a Girl Scout, I started out in small, one-man sabots.  Eventually, I became skilled at sailing catamarans and larger sloops.  Iโ€™ve even been a crew member on an old sailing ship which sailed the 31 miles from Long Beach Harbor across the ocean to Santa Catalina Island.  What an amazing trip!  On many of those sailboats youโ€™ll find whatโ€™s called a set of lifelines.  They run from stem to stern along the edge of the boat.  Its purpose? To be used as a last chance handhold before plunging into the water.

Thatโ€™s how I see Godโ€™s peace brought into our world and more specifically my life. Peace, as brought about by the coming of Jesus, is not the lack of something, itโ€™s the addition of our new lifeline. God promises throughout the Old Testament that He will send His messenger to wipe way our tears and to bring us salvation. And when Jesus arrived, so many people misunderstood His purpose. It was not to become an earthly king and conquer all our physical adversaries. He came to teach us that His ways are higher and His love for us so great. You see God doesnโ€™t always want to change our circumstances, but He always seeks to change us. When we study how Jesus handled strife and chaos and follow in His ways we live in peace.

Peace I leave with you; 
my peace I give you. 
I do not give to you as 
the world gives. Do not 
let your hearts be troubled 
and do not be afraid.
John 14:27

This bringing of His Peace โ€“ the incarnation of Jesus โ€“ was more clearly defined for me this year.  About 11 months ago, my mother-in-law was diagnosed with uterine cancer.  I love my mother-in-law as my own mom.  She has taught me so much about Jesus and His ways.  She has shown me grace when I didnโ€™t deserve it.  She has provided a warm and loving place for me to land when life has been too much.  I had been praying fervently for a more positive diagnosis.  

So that day, I went for a long walk through our nearby, secluded canyons and yelled out loud at God.  Yes, I yelled at the Almighty.  I pleaded with Him to not take her from me yet.  My heart, mind and soul were the opposite of peace.  And like the boat lifeline, He suddenly placed Himself between me and going off the deep end.  His Holy Spirit stood square in front of me and reminded me that death is not the end.  He showed me that when the day comes for my beloved mother-in-law to leave this world it would be a joyous one for her.  You see, she would be reunited with her own mother.  He showed me a picture of the two of them playing their favorite card games, teasing each other, and laughing their heads off.  And it made me smile.  It filled me with joy.  

I had accepted Godโ€™s peace.  Thereโ€™s the covenant agreement.  He sent His Peace On Earth in the form of His Son.  And I accepted it.  I frequently try giving it back, but less and less as I place my trust more firmly in Him.

This year of 2020 had been very difficult for many.  As a Christian I have grasped a hold of Godโ€™s lifeline so often to stay in His peace.  Itโ€™s important for us to remember that God wants us to live in today, not yesterday or tomorrow.  So, when we dream blissfully about how much better 2021 โ€œjust has to be,โ€ we make the mistake of missing out on how good God can be for us right now.  We miss out on the opportunity to live in His peace.

There has never been a year in the history of the world, after Eden, where there was not disease, strife, war, death and pain.  And 2021 will be no different.  But Godโ€™s promised peace is our lifeline.  It will guard our hearts and minds.  No matter the dark seas on either side, we can rest in the knowledge of His love and our eternal salvation.

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Faith, Jesus Follower, Uncategorized

Grip The Promised Path

And a highway will be there;
    it will be called the Way of Holiness;
    it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean will not journey on it;
    wicked fools will not go about on it.
No lion will be there,
    nor any ravenous beast;
    they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there,
and those the Lord has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
    everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
    and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
Isaiah 35:8-10

For many years my favorite vacation was to travel to San Francisco and hitch rides on the cable cars.  I can still remember the smell they make when the cable operator would grip the underground cable and off weโ€™d go!  We would hop on and off at various famous stops and drink in the beautiful vistas of the bay.  But did you know that unlike its counterparts, the trolleys, cable cars donโ€™t have motors? 

The San Francisco cable car system is made up of miles and miles of undergound cables which all intersect at the large cable car powerhouse.  There you will find giant wheels operating the cables.  Each cable car has a grip which clamps down on the moving cable.  Itโ€™s the cable itself which moves each car.  When a cable car needs to stop it releases the cable and applies its wheel brakes.  Without the constantly moving cable, the cars are motionless.  

Iโ€™m fascinated with how so many everyday activities in our lives reflect our relationship with God and His Holy promises.  Without Him operating without ceasing, keeping our lives safely along His chosen path for us, we can so easily find ourselves stuck, a cable car without power.  

A good friend of mine and I were out walking one day and we were discussing how easy it is to lose our grip of Godโ€™s promises.  We get so distracted by the fears, anxieties and paths the world puts on us.  The things we โ€œshould doโ€ because the world expects it from us.  But lately Iโ€™ve decided I need to be like the cable car operator โ€“ pulling back on that long lever and gripping the life-giving cable of God.  And gripping it tightly.  

As so many people know San Francisco is also famous for itโ€™s steep hills.  And the cable car operators find many challenges in navigating those hills.  They need to know exactly when to grip at the right amount in order to make it up the hill or else they must release the cable and slide backwards to try it again.  And on the downward slope they need to apply the right pressure on the cable while using their wheel brakes.  Each operator must become an expert, not only about the cable car operation, but the individual pitfalls of each hill.

And like those operators, as Christians, we need to be as well versed on the character and promises of God.  He promises to lay out a clear path for us.  We need to place our full effort and attention on Him and that path.  His path doesnโ€™t remove us from the dangers of the hills and valleys, rather He helps us to weave our way up and around and down them. 

I have given them Your word; 
and the world has hated them 
because they are not of the world, 
just as I am not of the world. 
I do not pray that You should take 
them out of the world, but that 
You should keep them from the 
evil one. 
They are not of the world, 
just as I am not of the world.
John 17:14-16

When we wrestle with God, at best, or at our worst completely ignore Him, we will find ourselves stuck at the bottom of our great hills.  Or, plunging recklessly toward the bottom.  The โ€œhighway is thereโ€ for us.  It is the way of His righteousness.  

A cable car operator who cannot successfully operate his car, and therefore protect his or her passengers, no longer has the privilege of that esteemed and famous job.  And when we refuse to pay attention to the promised path which God provides for us and grip a hold of it, we miss out on the joy and gladness.  The covenant of a promised path requires us to study His Word and hold fast to it.  

Cable car cable grip

In reading up about cable cars also discovered that all the miles of cable have a โ€œsacrificial lubricantโ€ that allows the grip to not wear down the cable itself.  The lubricant wears away similar to a pencil eraser wearing down, rather than the paper itโ€™s being used on.  Itโ€™s that burning lubricant that gives the San Francisco cable cars itโ€™s unique and memorable smell.  

Jesus is our โ€œsacrificial lubricant.โ€  He ripped the curtain away and opened up our direct communication with God.  He sent the Holy Spirit to walk with us at every moment.  His teachings, when gripped, help us to live on the promised path set out for us.

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Faith, Jesus Follower, Uncategorized

A Promised Foundation

The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high;

    he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness.

He will be the sure foundation for your times,

    a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;

    the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.

Isaiah 33:5-6

I donโ€™t know about you but I sure can use some stability this year.  As a child my life, viewed from the outside, looked very stable.  My parents were married, we had a nice home, two kids, dogs, cats, a little garden in the backyard.  I was a Girl Scout and did well in school.  And I felt so alone.  

I blamed all my family problems on moving from the Los Angeles area down to San Diego when I was in 4thgrade.  Everything seemed to change.  My mom was extremely unhappy and angry so often and my father rarely spoke.  My brother was fast approaching a time when the hidden timebomb of a manic-depressive disorder would take over his life.  My parents werenโ€™t what you might call a โ€œteam.โ€  Having the benefit of hindsight, I realize now it had nothing to do with the move and everything to do with a lack of a solid rock within our family unit.

Not being raised in a Christian (or any faith) environment I found myself searching for stability through my parents and then friends and boyfriends.  As my motherโ€™s own mental health issues began coinciding with my brotherโ€™s, the atmosphere around my house became so volatile so I searched for peace and love through insecure friendships and lopsided romantic relationships.  This led to competitive relationships and risky sexual behavior.   All the while I longed for a firm foundation to set my hopes, my fears, and my need to find joy.

Thankfully, through God and a wonderful husband, I have found that “sure foundation,” as written by the prophet Isaiah.  The promise God makes in this passage is that He is our solid rock, He is the stability for which we all yearn.  He is the same today as he was yesterday.  And He will be the same tomorrow.  Thereโ€™s no rug pulled out from under us.  Thereโ€™s no switching of loyalties.  Thereโ€™s no character flaw that suddenly comes to light and bites us.  He is perfect.  He is solid.  He is the โ€œrich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge.โ€

Lest we miss the agreement part of this promise let me remind you of the last sentence of Isaiah 33:5-6: โ€œThe fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.โ€  Thereโ€™s that other half of the covenant.  Our part in this relationship requires us to exalt God and respect His place in the universe.  He is God and we are not.  And when we try to place others above Him, they will surely crumble, at some point. 

I was reading today about an astronautโ€™s โ€œlifeline.โ€  NASA (the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration) considers there to be two lifeline systems for astronauts:

โ€œFrom lift off through landing, the astronauts aboard the Shuttle along with the thousands of people supporting the flight on Earth depend on NASAโ€™s team of experts to manage this complex communication system. Maintaining good communications is critical.  The lifeline is comprised of two systems โ€“ a ground-based network composed of communication stations, and a space network operating orbiting satellites. As the Shuttle orbits the Earth, the NASA team monitors and continually adjusts the communication pathways to ensure that command, tracking, telemetry, video, and voice communications are clear and secure. โ€œ

I like that visual โ€“ a large team of incredibly talented people making sure our astronauts in space are able to accomplish their mission goals and come home safely.  As Christians we have our own talented team that makes up our solid rock โ€“ God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  

โ€œDo not let your hearts be troubled. 
You believe in God; believe also in me.
John 14:1

When we live in constant communication with our Holy team, they can continually monitor our progress, provide a firm foundation, and keep us on the right track โ€“ completing the mission and bringing us safely home. 

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Faith, Jesus Follower, Uncategorized

His Promises Are A Covenant

The path of the righteous is level; you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth.”

Isaiah 26:7

My BSGs (Bible Study girls) are currently doing an advent study.ย ย In it we are reminded of the many promises of God through Jesus Christ.ย ย These are the promises that so many Christians are most familiar โ€“ hope, peace, love and joy through trusting in the Lord.ย ย And even though Iโ€™ve been a Christian for some time now, being reminded of the Peace of God through righteousness is so necessary in this broken world.ย 

Rejoice always,ย pray continually,ย give 
thanks in all circumstances;ย for this is 
Godโ€™s will for you in Christ Jesus.ย 
Do not quench the Spirit. ย 
1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

We humans need constant communication with God, constant reminders of His promises, constant reminders of the reason why He sent us His son, Christ Jesus.  Why? Because we are constantly bombarded with opposite messages.  The chaos of this world desires to bring us to our knees in fear and worry.  It never stops.  But Godโ€™s peace, love and joy are solid promises.  

Iโ€™ve been led to call this process of constant communication, โ€œholding the line.โ€  We have a narrow path which God wants us to walk with Him.  For some of us it means constantly looking down at that line and grasping tightly to His promises.  For others the line is a gentle garden path in which they easily stay within the boundaries.  In discovering the many promises of God, we can grasp them tightly as we work our way through those bombshells thrown at us by this broken world.

"Suddenly a great company of the  
heavenly host appeared with the angel,  
praising God and saying, 
โ€œGlory to God in the highest heaven, 
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.โ€  
Luke 2:13-14 

Notice the very last line of this glorious verse?  โ€œTo whom His favor rests.โ€  When I read this recently, I realized that last part is frequently left off.  โ€œPeace on Earth.โ€  Taking this out of context changes the meaning of this promise.  Yes, God has promised to never leave us, but so many of His promises are actually a covenant.  

Covenant:

“a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action”

โ€œBetween two or more parties.โ€  That means God promises and we promise back.  An agreement.  Throughout the Book of Isaiah we read of two worlds โ€“ the broken agreements and the renewed ones.  Godโ€™s promises can only come to completion when we do our part โ€“ when we grab hold of that line and follow Him. 

Iโ€™ve heard there are more than 5,400 of those promises in the Old and New Testament.  In this new series I want to remind us of just 25 of them and help to bring to the forefront our role in our heavenly handshake.

God is doing 10,000 things in your life and you may only be aware of 3 of them.

John Piper

Join me, along with my guest writer, Todd Shetter, in Isaiah, these next few weeks as we learn how to โ€œHold The Lineโ€ and prepare to celebrate the gift of Godโ€™s greatest covenant with us โ€“ the gift and promise of Jesus Christ.

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Faith, Jesus Follower, Uncategorized

Hold The Line

The path of the righteous is level; you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth.”

Isaiah 26:7

My BSGs (Bible Study girls) are currently doing an advent study.  In it we are reminded of the many promises of God through Jesus Christ.  These are the promises that so many Christians are most familiar โ€“ hope, peace, love and joy through trusting in the Lord.  And even though Iโ€™ve been a Christian for some time now, being reminded of the Peace of God through righteousness is so necessary in this broken world. 

Rejoice always,ย pray continually,ย give 
thanks in all circumstances;ย for this is 
Godโ€™s will for you in Christ Jesus.ย 
Do not quench the Spirit. ย 
1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

We humans need constant communication with God, constant reminders of His promises, constant reminders of the reason why He sent us His son, Christ Jesus.  Why? Because we are constantly bombarded with opposite messages.  The chaos of this world desires to bring us to our knees in fear and worry.  It never stops.  But Godโ€™s peace, love and joy are solid promises.  

Iโ€™ve been led to call this process of constant communication, โ€œholding the line.โ€  We have a narrow path which God wants us to walk with Him.  For some of us it means constantly looking down at that line and grasping tightly to His promises.  For others the line is a gentle garden path in which they easily stay within the boundaries.  In discovering the many promises of God, we can grasp them tightly as we work our way through those bombshells thrown at us by this broken world.

Suddenly a great company of the 
heavenly host appeared with the angel, 
praising God and saying,
โ€œGlory to God in the highest heaven, 
and on earth peace to those on whom 
his favor rests.โ€ 
Luke 2:13-14

Notice the very last line of this glorious verse?  โ€œTo whom His favor rests.โ€  When I read this recently, I realized that last part is frequently left off.  โ€œPeace on Earth.โ€  Taking this out of context changes the meaning of this promise.  Yes, God has promised to never leave us, but so many of His promises are actually a covenant.  

Covenant:

“a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action”

โ€œBetween two or more parties.โ€  That means God promises and we promise back.  An agreement.  Throughout the Book of Isaiah we read of two worlds โ€“ the broken agreements and the renewed ones.  Godโ€™s promises can only come to completion when we do our part โ€“ when we grab hold of that line and follow Him. 

Iโ€™ve heard there are more than 5,400 of those promises in the Old and New Testament.  In this new series I want to remind us of just 25 of them and help to bring to the forefront our role in our heavenly handshake.

God is doing 10,000 things in your life and you may only be aware of 3 of them.

John Piper

Letโ€™s study together, in Isaiah, these next few weeks as we learn how to โ€œHold The Lineโ€ and prepare to celebrate the gift of Godโ€™s greatest covenant with us โ€“ the gift and promise of Jesus Christ.

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Faith, Jesus Follower, Uncategorized

Historical Perspective

Iโ€™ve heard a lot of media types say this year is one of the most difficult โ€œof all time.โ€ As humans we tend to look at history from our own timeframe. When we do that it negates all the trials and tribulations so many before us have endured.
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As Christians we need to grasp hold of the many promises of which God clearly states in His Holy Word. When we do, we find that people have successfully endured extreme hardships for 1,000s of years because they placed their faith in Him.
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Join me and a few guests these next few weeks as we explore just some of those promises which help us, not only endure, but to find joy and peace no matter what the world hurls at us.
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Go to https://emboldened.net/ and follow to receive your daily email of promises made and kept by God.

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Faith, Jesus Follower, Uncategorized

The Narrow Gate

โ€œYou can enter Godโ€™s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.โ€
โ€ญโ€ญMatthewโ€ฌ โ€ญ7:13โ€ฌ
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This narrow gate comes with a shepherd to guide us. When we hold fast to Him our way is made sure.
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Join me starting Dec 7 as we explore 25 of the 1,000s of promises of God through the Book of Isaiah. โ€œFollowโ€ my blog to receive your daily โ€œHold The Lineโ€ posts.
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bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Faith, Jesus Follower, Uncategorized

Fruits of His Spirit


Do you sometimes feel a bit untethered?ย ย Wandering off into the wilderness and youโ€™ve forgotten the way back to the trail?ย ย Or maybe you are scrambling over the boulders of fear, anxiety and hopelessness.ย ย It wouldnโ€™t be surprising given whatโ€™s been thrown at us in 2020.ย ย But God is the Prince of Peace.ย ย That doesnโ€™t mean Heโ€™s the โ€œprince of no conflict and no tribulations.โ€ย ย It means when we are in closer communion with Him, we experience the fruits of His spirit โ€“ kindness, joy, love, patience, goodness, faithfulness and yes, peace.ย ย This is His promise.

Join me starting December 7 as we explore just 25 of the 1,000s of Godโ€™s promises found in His Holy Word.ย Promises to hold on to for hope and for peace.

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Jesus Follower, Uncategorized

His Last Amazing Words

If you were to Google โ€œJesusโ€™ last wordsโ€ what you would get is a long list of references to Jesusโ€™ last words on the cross and their meaning.  And while those last words are very important, if we think those were His actual last words recorded in the Bible we miss the amazing glory of who Jesus really is.  

โ€œI, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.โ€The Spirit and the bride say, โ€œCome!โ€ And let the one who hears say, โ€œCome!โ€ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.”

REvelation 22:16-17

Jesus wasnโ€™t just about the physical man here on earth.  He is so much more.  The book of Revelation, written by John, reveals Godโ€™s plans and purposes for His church.  Itโ€™s is the revelation of Jesus.  According to Dr. Merrill Tenney, Jesus is the chief subject of Revelations.  Christ is the exalted priest.  And three times in the last chapter of Revelations Jesus interrupts John with His words.

These last amazing words of Jesus in the Bible are also the last of my commentary on Living Amazed through Jesus.  And appropriately so.  Looking back over all the topics they can all coalesce into two words โ€“ follow Him.  We can thank God, Jesus and His Holy Spirit every single day that the prophesy of Jesusโ€™ return has yet to be fulfilled.  Why?  Because we still have a lot of His work to accomplished.  God is giving us an opportunity to not only get our own lives in line with Jesusโ€™ amazing ways but to also share with as many people as possible about the savior.  

These last few words of Jesus should be at the front of every church.  Let anyone who is thirsty come and take the free gift of living water that only He can provide.  He has designed us to be His hands and feet to bring sinners into this amazing grace. 

โ€œIndeed, when the church lives in expectancy of Christโ€™s return, such an attitude provokes ministry and evangelism as well as purity of heart.โ€

Warren Wiersbe

As I have grown in my faith, I find it odd that there are โ€œtraditionalโ€ churches and โ€œevangelicalโ€ churches.  Itโ€™s clear in Jesusโ€™ last (and many other teachings) Bible words we are all to take up the mantel of โ€œevangelical.โ€   I was discussing this topic in one of my Bible studies the other night about sharing the gospel with others.  One friend said she doesnโ€™t feel comfortable โ€œopening that doorโ€ with people.  I shared how I am praying every single day for just one believer to โ€œopen that doorโ€ to my eldest daughter.  I know God is asking me to be a good example for her but I also know He is seeking someone else to bring her to Christ. 

Arenโ€™t there numerous people in your life that you hope would accept Jesus as their savior?  Itโ€™s hypocritical of us to pray for a miracle in someoneโ€™s life if we arenโ€™t willing to be that miracle.  

Of all the amazing things Jesus said and did throughout the Bible He was always clear on our role in Godโ€™s Kingdom.  We are to help gather up as many as possible and place them solidly in His hands.  Our job has never been to sit nicely in church, enjoy a few songs and hear a good speech.  Itโ€™s to be compelled to share His amazing love with the world.

Thank you for joining Madison and me on this journey through Living Amazed.  Please join me starting December 7 for my next series, โ€œHold the Line: 25 Promises of God.โ€