Jesus Paid It All

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“Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

Jesus was brought here to free his children but if they don’t know the truth they will never be truly free. God’s truth is very important if you want to do right and not wrong. Once you become a child of God your freedom is purchased. The blood he shed for the sins of the world paid your debt in full. There is nothing to do because God did it all when he forgave you of all your sins. He doesn’t even remember them anymore. You don’t need to keep asking to be forgiven because once is enough and there is nothing you can do to be more forgiven. There will be evidence in your life because you will love God and want to do all he has asked. I know myself, I’m a perfectionist and I will never be perfect but I’ll keep doing all that I can because they have done so much for me. But we will keep sinning because we are human and we have a sin nature. We should be sorry when we do sin and know it. And we should ask forgiveness for that sin. Doing all I can to get closer to perfect will give me more peace and more joy. It will not get me into heaven because of what I have done, but because I have the golden key which is Jesus Christ. He paid it all for me.When I die I do know that I will be resurrected to a new heavenly body just like my savior was. There is no reason to wonder if I have done enough to get in. I have total faith in God’s promises. Having a holy fear of God is knowing that you can never do it without him and you never want to. Having complete respect and awe for everything he keeps doing and always will. Knowing without a shadow of doubt in your spirit that he is more than enough to get me safely home to my mansion in paradise. That I could never imagine what is waiting for me. It’s so exciting trying to imagine but I know it will be so much better than anything I can envision.

Holy Living

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“He has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.” 1 Timothy 1:9

We have nothing to offer to a holy and righteous God who loved us and cared about us before we were ever born. How many people have ever lived on this planet at one time? He loved them all and has a purpose for their life. All of us impact each other’s lives and we need to work together. We owe God our very lives because he forgave us and offers all the help we need to live holy lives and making that possible for all of his children. It doesn’t matter what they are doing or how we impact others because he makes it all work perfectly. His plans are good and we can trust him to keep his promises for us. How many verses are there in the Bible? Each one is full of encouragement, wisdom, and promises for our lives. If we drink in the words written thousands of years ago then our lives will be rich and abundant. We can do anything we want but that usually just causes us more problems. His ways really are better than ours and if we want to see the great things he has for us we need to cooperate with him and do the things he has told us to do for that rich and abundant life. A good life filled with joy and excitement. He never does things part way but always the best ways for everyone. I’m ready to be apart of those good plans, how about you?

Created Perfectly

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“For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.” Acts 17:28

God made us perfectly on purpose. We were made in our Fathers image. The complexity of the human body is hard to deny that it was made by design. Doctors have spent thousands of years discovering the human body and they still don’t know it all. How they can know so much of this complexity, and still deny that a pretty amazing God made it, is crazy. When a baby is developing it has a heart beat, meaning it is alive, so to get rid of it you have to murder someone who was designed on purpose. When it is born you don’t have to teach it to breathe it just does. Blood flows through intricate series of veins which go through that beating heart keeping all the organs working. If you cut yourself you don’t just bleed out instantly unless it’s a pretty big cut. Your body can clot and scab over. Our bodies have a skeleton to help us sit and stand a bend over. The body can actually get into some wild positions. Muscles help you to do amazing things, the stronger the muscles the more they can do. Nerves also controlled by an intricate system are important. Skin which is the largest organ holds it all in. The brain helps us do great things and can be strengthened by learning. Can anything speak conversations if they came from anything else, no because, nothing but humans speak. We have emotions and our six senses help us relate to our world. We can choose to do what we want good or bad. We can think and reason and what we really need is love. Eyes and ears are special to help us in life. Seeing in full color the beautiful things God has made, seeing all around you what’s happening without trying to. You can look at a picture and memories jump into your mind of things in your past, just like a song can do the same thing. What you were doing the last time you heard that song. Nobody but God can love you unconditionally and perfectly even if people who love you try to be perfect they can’t because they are human and make mistakes. God loves you even if you don’t know him or love him back. He has promised to forgive you for everything no matter what just by asking him. Everyone has a chance to get to heaven but they have to accept the extravagant gift God has given us, his son Jesus Christ. Well worth all he has done for us.

Compassion

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“Jesus wept.” John 11:35

Jesus had great compassion for people. They all meant so much to him. It didn’t matter who you were or what you were like. He definitely cried with those who cried and laughed with those who laughed. When he saw someone sick or hurting his heart went out to them, when Satan was oppressing one of his, he had to act. Whether they were blind, crippled, disease ridden, or demon possessed. Male or female didn’t matter because you were equal to God no matter what and he had no favorites. When he was hung on that cross he forgave those who were torturing him. Because that was his Father’s will for a lost and dying world. They knew it had to be this way. It was all under their control or it wouldn’t have happened and we would perish forever. But they couldn’t let that happen because of their love. We didn’t really have any say, and we didn’t deserve it, but they wanted us to live with them the way they intended. They just want for us to be more like that. We owe them so much that we could never begin to repay them. Everyday they do more and more to let us know how much they care. They will never stop doing everything they can because that is who they are. Even when people say they don’t believe that God exists because they are so lost and out of hope. They might even be angry with God by something that has happened to them, but he still loves them greatly. We might do many bad things that we think he could never forgive but we are wrong. He will forgive anything if we just ask him. He doesn’t want anyone to perish but all to be forgiven. It doesn’t matter how bad it was. You may have been sentenced to life in prison for a crime but some of the biggest miracles take place when a mass murderer finds Jesus in prison and he changes their life and turns it around. God is always working in someone’s life and he always does excellent work and he might be working on you next.

Power In Prayer

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“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24

God wants to fulfill our needs and he uses us to intercede for others. There is so much power in prayer and people’s needs matter to God. He isn’t going to answer just any prayer but he will do what is best for everyone. It may not be what we want or how we think he will answer. The more we get to know God through reading his words and praying the better we get to know his will. That way we can pray more effectively. Some people just don’t know how to pray they just know they have a need. Or maybe something is bothering them or they are sick. God can use trials and sickness to strengthen us and sometimes they are there for a reason. You don’t grow stronger when things are comfortable, but as you learn to trust God, when he does come through even when it might be at the last minute. Kind of like when the Israelites were being chased as they left Egypt right to the Red Sea. God had a plan but that didn’t know that. He parted the water and they walked right through on dry ground. Causing the chasing army to follow them back and they were drowned in the sea. No more problem! Didn’t quite expect that. Sometimes it doesn’t seem like God is hearing our prayers but we don’t seem to get the answers we want. Maybe it’s just not what is best for you or that he is working on something so much better if we just trust him. Maybe we are having problems because we have sinned or not followed God’s commands and wisdom. We can sometimes be our worst enemy. When we do things our way and not God’s way he will let us because he has given us free will. We can get in relationships and situations that God has warned us against but we wanted them so bad and it just isn’t good for us causing more problems. Someone wants to be married but they aren’t patient and they marry the first person who seems interested even a non Christian and they end up miserable. Always pray for guidance when making a big decision like marriage or financial decisions. Because if it’s not God’s will it could be a big mistake. But if you follow God’s guidance and his ways life is so much easier. I know I did a lot of things because I just wanted to and God let me have my way but it always had consequences because it definitely wasn’t following Gods guidance and commands and it usually didn’t work out. Once you put God first in your life and others second things will start falling into place for you I know they have for me. It helps knowing Gods word and following it and staying far from sin that can trip us up. God loves taking good care of his children and not seeing us make mistakes that aren’t good for us.

Patience

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“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,” James 1:19

Life really is important and how you live it. To be intentional and alert. Life is like making cookies for example. Cookies are good and delicious if made correctly but you have to read the directions and follow them carefully or they might not be so good. God has given us the directions for the perfect life but if we choose to ignore the directions we can cause problems that we really don’t want. Some mistakes can be painful and hard. We want to be well taken care of and blessed but that is up to us. God is very faithful and he keeps his part. But he has left us with free will to choose what we want. To do it our way or the right way. Just keep thinking of the hot, chewy, delicious cookies that come from following directions and it’s not so hard. One minute at a time. Think before you speak because once you say something you cannot take it back. Our emotions can take charge over our brains if we aren’t careful and hurtful, angry words will come out. You also should listen intently as someone is speaking so you don’t misunderstand and jump to conclusions. Really hear what they are saying and think with love and compassion. It is better not to speak if you don’t know what to say. Even a fool looks wise when they keep quiet. Our words can bring life or death and sometimes hurt and pain. Be patient with people even when they do something you don’t agree with. Take a breath and be quick to forgive while it is still easier. We have to deal with people all day everyday so it’s important to be loving. God has given us a great example in his son. If he wouldn’t do something then there is a good reason because he only did his Father’s will for him. Perfectly! He new his mission and followed it the whole way through no matter how hard or painful because he knew how important it was to have that big perfect family to spend eternity with, and it was worth it.

Praying With Confidence

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“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” 1 John 5:14

So much can be accomplished through prayer. It is really the only way we can have some control over the problems that come into ours and others lives around us. We are guaranteed to have troubles and we can overcome them by prayer. If we pray for God’s will. But how do you know God’s will? By immersing yourself in the word of God you will get to know his character and his ways. The more you know about God the more you can pray with confidence. That just means he hears you and that he knows you care and he will do what is best for the situation. It may not always be what we want or how we think he might do something but he does know best. Sometimes people still die even though we pray believing but if they are saved they get to go home to their mansion in paradise. Now that is perfect for them but he will give us peace and strength to get through even though it is hard. Also people can have terrible things happen to them that really are good things. Example: I had a bad stoke and it left me in a nursing home unable to care for myself and unable to do a lot of things like walking. It saved me from myself. I wasn’t living for the Lord but for myself. It also gave me plenty of time to really get to know the Lord and it totally changed my life for the better. I’ve found my purpose for living and am protected from the evil in the world in my own little bubble. Where I don’t have to do anything but get to know God better and keep my mind sharp so I hear him. So now I’m happier than I ever was before my stroke. I may not be healed physically but my mind and attitude are better than ever. So basically God will do whatever is best and only he knows what that is because he made us and he knows our hearts and minds.

The Risen King

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“I want to know Christ- yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:10-11

What Christ did for us on the cross is so important. Not just that he died so that he could pay for our sins but there is so much more. We need to really look at what he went through and why. First he had to totally die to himself, his wants and desires were not important, only our needs came first. We were in desperate need of getting rid of our sins and this was the only way. We could do nothing to redeem ourselves. Someone had to pay it for us. One life for another life. Just like animal sacrifice was to pay for the sins of the priests and the people but once was not enough. They had to continue to do it regularly, but it was never enough. Christ was human and this was very scary and difficult but his Father was always with him giving him strength just like he is always with us to give us all the strength we need to do things he has asked us to do. We also need to die to our desires. Doing the things he has asked in his words. But actually doing these things gives us the desire to want to do more. The more i am reading God’s word and praying the more I get to know him and I want to be like him. One day I will die and I will also be resurrected to an eternal life with him in heaven forever. That is pretty exciting. Considering what I’m giving up now is not important compared to forever in heaven. I figure I can do anything for an hour. That is how I look at it. I just set out to do the next right thing that I need to do and then the next. One step at a time. Always keeping eternity in my sight. If I keep doing all I can I’m promised eternity because it’s a heart thing and my heart tells me to do all I can for him. Jesus looked ahead at what was possible. He thought about a million brothers and sisters that loved him spending eternity with him in paradise forever and in was all worth it. And we helped him to do it.

Humbleness

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“Humble yourself, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” 1 Peter 5:6

God loves the humble but resists the proud. He does not like when we think too highly of ourselves. Thinking we can take care of ourselves and that we control our future. I sure know that I’m thankful for all he has done for me and all that I have. I willingly die to myself every day and live totally for what he has for me and he has never let me down. He always gives more than what I could have alone. Because of my stroke I can’t do a lot of things anymore. I’m totally dependent on others to meet my needs but that has caused me to trust only in him. That wasn’t always easy because I feared what others might do wrong but God let me know that he was in charge of everything! He loves me and does take good care of me still. He still helps me to stay independent during the day. If I can’t do something I pray and he gives me strength or an idea to help me accomplish something and I do things to help those taking care of me to make sure they have what they need to help me. I have also found ways to encourage others. Even though I can’t do much I can write what he has taught me through everything and it does feel good to know God’s purpose for your life. I am a child of God and he has called me to encourage others. I may have been able to do so much more before my stroke but my heart wasn’t trusting or humble and that comes from a total change of the heart.

Memories

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“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” Psalms 77:11-12

When you hear something exciting God has done how could you ever forget it. I know I can’t and I love telling others about it. It happens over and over every day. I know it helps to look through eyes of faith. Miracles are easy to get excited about but they happen every day in some degree. It may be small like God helping you do something you know you couldn’t have done by yourself or when someone with stage four cancer gets a test that shows they are cancer free. I’ve known many people that the doctors told they had maybe six months to live and years later they are still going strong. But what about creation itself, have you ever really looked at a leaf? It is alive and turns different colors in different temperatures. It has a skeletal system like structure that holds it all together so it doesn’t just crumble apart at a touch but sap runs through it to help it grow from the nourishment it gets from its parent tree. Have you ever watched a flower open its petals in the morning and pull them closed at the end of the day? Human and animal bodies are the same with skeletons and skin, muscles and tendons. Blood and oxygen flow through the blood. How you get a fever to help your body fight infection. These are all miraculous for someone who says we just evolved from a brainless fish who cannot solve complicated problems or invent complicated machines. I can sit and contemplate these things for hours. Even pets can have emotions with their owners and with other pets in the home. When one dies the other one can mourn for a very long time and they may never get over it. They can tell when their owners are happy, sad, sick or scared. That’s why pets can make great therapy animals. I just don’t know how some people can’t see amazing things everywhere like I do. I like to sit and look around me. Watching nature or people. You learn a lot of amazing things. I guess that’s why God says be like little children because they are always wanting to learn more and they ask a lot of questions. Just because mom said so isn’t a good answer. All living organisms are just too complex.