143 Trouble and distress have come upon me,
but your commands are my delight.
144 Your statutes are forever right;
give me understanding that I may live. Psalms 119:143-144
Sometimes when I have had a particular trying day, I feel like everything is against me. It is in these moments that a voice calls out to me. It is in these moments that I am reminded of the one whom I can go to and lay out all my fears and cares.
At the foot of the Cross.
God has created us in His image, and knows who we are. He knows all of our fears, our joys, and our very hearts. He knows are thoughts, what pressures we will soon be dealing with, and what troubles we have faced. He knows are past, present, and future. He knows all of these things not only because He made each one of us, but because He once walked in our shoes.
God sent His Son to our world to be a Man. But He didn't just miraculously appear among the people, He came into this world just like all of us do: He was born as a baby. A helpless babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and loved by His mother and father. He even had siblings. He walked the life we all walk, except He came as a sinless Man.
But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Luke 2:10-12
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. John 3:16-18
Jesus can therefore empathize with everything that is going on in our lives. Need someone to talk to who will understand you? Try talking to God. He endured the harshest situations one can imagine. He was beaten and killed upon a cross. He was ridiculed by the people, and hated by the Pharisees. He was tempted by Satan, and sold out by His friends. All of these and so much more He went through. Think you have it bad? Think again.
But Jesus is the only one who deeply and truly understands you. Just because He may have endured worse than you, He would never say, "Oh come on! I had it worse off; at least you didn't die on a cross! So buck up you sissy!" Oh no. He will say instead, "Come, my child. Come into my arms, and cast your cares upon me. I am here for you, and I shower you with my love for you."
Still doubting? Go ahead and have that conversation with Him, and you will see. A burden will lift from your shoulders, and you will feel free like you never felt before.*
For further reading, read Luke chapters 2-24.
Come to Me, all who are weary
And I will give you rest
Come to Me, all who are weary
And I will give you rest
Lay your head down on My shoulders
Be still my child, rest a while
I'll quiet you with My love
Rejoice over you with My song
I'll quiet you with My love
Rejoice over you with My song
Come to Me, all who are weary
And take My yoke upon you
Come to Me, all who are weary
My burden is easy and light
Lay your head down on My shoulders
Be still my child, rest a while
Quiet You With My Love by Rebecca St. James
Let's cast all our cares upon Jesus, because He will give us rest!
Whitney
Showing posts with label Jesus Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus Christ. Show all posts
The Resurrection - 3/23/08
Hello everyone!
And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:14, ESV
Have you ever wondered, just what is the significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ? What about it is so radically important that if it was not true, the entire Christian faith would be in vain? Here, take a look at this verse from Romans:
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death... Romans 6:3-4a, ESV
This verse states that we as Christians were baptized with Him into His death, as if as He hung on that cross, we hung there with Him. Think for a moment - if Christ had not risen but remained in the grave, having been baptized with Him into His death, we too would remain there with Him. There would be no life; only death. But praise God, this is not the case!
...in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Romans 6:4b-5, ESV
We who have been united with Him into His death have also been united with Him in His life - and this is the best news you and I could ever hear! We died with Him; and now, we live with Him. But what does this mean for us? What are the real-life implications of this, and how does this change how we live our lives?
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:6-11, ESV
This is the power of the resurrection. Having been baptized into His death, and thus, into His life as well, we are no longer slaves to sin. We who once were at the every beck and call of our cruel, unrighteous master of sin without any hope of ever seeing the light have now been shown freedom. Whereas before we were totally unable to resist the commands of the devil, giving in to the lusts and cravings of the flesh, we now have had our bonds broken as we are united with Christ into His death (to die to sin) and resurrection (to live to God). Therefore, to finish us off:
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. Romans 6:12-13, ESV
I hope you see the true power of the resurrection of our Lord - it is this which enables and empowers us to lead righteous, self-controlled, God-pleasing lives. No self-will or mental strength can achieve this - only Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord, can - and indeed, has. May we all have a blessed Easter!
Blessings,
Andrew
And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:14, ESV
Have you ever wondered, just what is the significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ? What about it is so radically important that if it was not true, the entire Christian faith would be in vain? Here, take a look at this verse from Romans:
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death... Romans 6:3-4a, ESV
This verse states that we as Christians were baptized with Him into His death, as if as He hung on that cross, we hung there with Him. Think for a moment - if Christ had not risen but remained in the grave, having been baptized with Him into His death, we too would remain there with Him. There would be no life; only death. But praise God, this is not the case!
...in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Romans 6:4b-5, ESV
We who have been united with Him into His death have also been united with Him in His life - and this is the best news you and I could ever hear! We died with Him; and now, we live with Him. But what does this mean for us? What are the real-life implications of this, and how does this change how we live our lives?
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:6-11, ESV
This is the power of the resurrection. Having been baptized into His death, and thus, into His life as well, we are no longer slaves to sin. We who once were at the every beck and call of our cruel, unrighteous master of sin without any hope of ever seeing the light have now been shown freedom. Whereas before we were totally unable to resist the commands of the devil, giving in to the lusts and cravings of the flesh, we now have had our bonds broken as we are united with Christ into His death (to die to sin) and resurrection (to live to God). Therefore, to finish us off:
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. Romans 6:12-13, ESV
I hope you see the true power of the resurrection of our Lord - it is this which enables and empowers us to lead righteous, self-controlled, God-pleasing lives. No self-will or mental strength can achieve this - only Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord, can - and indeed, has. May we all have a blessed Easter!
Blessings,
Andrew
Whatever Is Born Of God - 3/17/08
Hello! Here is a short message for today - I hope you allow it to encourage your heart.
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5 NKJV)
Against we who have been born of God, there is nothing in the world which can defeat or overcome us. As we hold to faith in Jesus Christ our Lord, Son of God Most High, we can rest confidently in the fact that "if God is for us, who can be against us?"
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31 NKJV)
We know that God works all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28), and since this is the case, we know that no matter what situation we find ourselves in, whether it appears to be good or bad, victory or defeat, success or failure, our faith in Him is the victory that continually overcomes our fears, our doubts, and our struggles. In Him, we truly experience "the victory that has overcome the world."
Blessings,
Andrew
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5 NKJV)
Against we who have been born of God, there is nothing in the world which can defeat or overcome us. As we hold to faith in Jesus Christ our Lord, Son of God Most High, we can rest confidently in the fact that "if God is for us, who can be against us?"
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31 NKJV)
We know that God works all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28), and since this is the case, we know that no matter what situation we find ourselves in, whether it appears to be good or bad, victory or defeat, success or failure, our faith in Him is the victory that continually overcomes our fears, our doubts, and our struggles. In Him, we truly experience "the victory that has overcome the world."
Blessings,
Andrew
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