“In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all.” ~Apostle Paul

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Apostle Paul Sayings, Gift, Jesus, Lamb, Messiah, Redemption, Romans 8, Sin

It was God’s plan not to mess around any longer. God decided he would end the “I’ve missed God’s goal for my life” (aka sinning) problem once and for all. The law was never intended to make us whole. God is God. God made the decision on how this had to be handled. My opinion matters not a bit in any of this.

Jesus personally made a huge sacrifice, in so many different ways. Jesus entered our messy world. Jesus decided to deal directly with us as we are struggling. Jesus agreed with his Father to become the living sacrifice that solved the “sin problem” once and for all.

Jesus challenges me to accept that my redemption is a gift. There is nothing I can do to be made right with God. Jesus has done it all. Jesus is the Messiah, the anointed one of God, sent to sacrifice himself like a lamb in the Old Covenant (aka Testament).

God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son. He didn’t deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all. The law code, weakened as it always was by fractured human nature, could never have done that.

The law always ended up being used as a Band-Aid on sin instead of a deep healing of it. And now what the law code asked for but we couldn’t deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us.

Source: Romans 8:3-4

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“If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then the Messiah died unnecessarily.” ~Apostle Paul

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Apostle Paul Sayings, Galatians 2, Gift, Grace, Messiah

I grew up in a “rule keeping” church. It was pretty clear that if I didn’t do certain things I could find favor with GOD. So I tried. And tried. But …

I can’t do anything to “win” God’s love. It is free. It is a gift. I didn’t earn it.

Jesus, our Master, paid the price to win it for me. It is that straightforward. That is what “grace” means. It is a gift. I can’t do anything to get access to it.

“I must get rid of the underlying idea that I can ever be right with God because of my obedience.” ~Oswald Chambers

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Gift, Good News, Jesus, Law, Messiah, Oswald Chambers

Obey God

What can I do to get right with God? Nothing. Nada. Zip. Not a single solitary thing.

I have the law of God. I know the result. I miss the goal God has for me non stop, every day. His goal for me doesn’t change. Yet, I keep missing it.

Jesus comes with Good News. He died for me, took the punishment on for breaking God’s law and for missing His goal for me. He delivers me from the burden of punishment. There is nothing I can do to earn it. Trying harder won’t cut it. It is gift.

God is God. There is nothing I can do to get right with him.

“There is only one way by which I can get right with God, and that is through the death of Jesus the Messiah. I must get rid of the underlying idea that I can ever be right with God because of my obedience. Who of us could ever obey God to absolute perfection!” ~~Oswald Chambers

The Law and the Gospel | My Utmost For His Highest

"I wasn’t naturally gifted in terms of size and speed; everything I did in hockey I worked for." ~~Wayne Gretzky

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Gift, Hard Work, Jesus, Wayne Gretzky

Talent will only get me so far.

The most talented always work for it. They don’t depend on “the gift” to get them to the prize.

Jesus challenges us to work for the prize before us.

“I wasn’t naturally gifted in terms of size and speed; everything I did in hockey I worked for.” ~~Wayne Gretzky

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.” ~James

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Faith, Gift, James 1, Jesus, Joy

Really James? A gift?

Somehow I think he is serious. This isn’t the way I normally think.

Tests and challenges don’t usually feel like a gift from God. But James is onto something for sure. He knows what the goal is.

So what is the goal?

The goal is to be mature and well developed. God has something in mind for me. It doesn’t involve being a child the rest of my life. He wants me to grow up. He wants my faith to grow.

Without challenges it won’t.

Period.

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. James 1:2-3 MSG

"I would rather be accused of breaking precedents than breaking promises." ~~John F. Kennedy

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Contract, Gift, Honesty, Jesus, John F. Kennedy, Promises

God’s Promise

Jesus challenges us to make sure our yes is yes and our no is no.

When we say yes we need to follow through. That is the core of character and the goal that God has in mind for us.

God is faithful to his word. Jesus wants us to be the same way.

God doesn’t enter into a contract with us, written by a crafty lawyer. A contract drawn up by a hard-nosed lawyer and with plenty of fine print only makes sure that you will never be able to collect. But if there is no contract in the first place, simply a promise—and God’s promise at that—you can’t break it.

This is why the fulfillment of God’s promise depends entirely on trusting God and his way, and then simply embracing him and what he does. God’s promise arrives as pure gift. That’s the only way everyone can be sure to get in on it, those who keep the religious traditions and those who have never heard of them.

I would rather be accused of breaking precedents than breaking promises. ~John F. Kennedy

 

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.” ~James

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Challenge, Faith, Gift, James 1, Jesus, Mature, Open

Gift of God

I get many gifts in life. Do I see tests and challenges as one of them?

That is how I should see them. Challenges come at me from all sides. When they do, they are great gifts. They develop my faith life and give me supernatural courage as I see Jesus establish His peace. I should treasure tests as I would a prized possession.

More importantly, challenges mature me and help me grow in His ways. My life in Jesus is not to be static. It is a life of growth and development. Challenges develop me so that I don’t lack anything in my character. I should be joyful in my trials.

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

Source: James 1:2-4

May I be joyful in the challenges that come my way.

The details are important. May all the gifts and benefits that come from God be ours. God is good all the time.

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Benefits, Gift, God is Good, Good News, Jesus

God’s Gift

We are all on a mission given to us by the Messiah Jesus Himself. I am not exempt. God has a goal for me. I must focus on what it is today.

It has all been planned by God. The details are His and not mine.

Jesus has our steps lined out. We must be faithful to His way.

It is good news. No detail has been left out.

May all the gifts and benefits that come from God be ours. God is good all the time. 

“So don’t be embarrassed to speak up for our Master Jesus.” ~Apostle Paul

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2 Timothy 1, Apostle Paul Sayings, Gift, Jesus, Life, Master, Messiah

Gift of God

I must not be embarrassed. Jesus is my Master. I must speak up for Jesus. I must speak up for his faithful servants as well. Daily Jesus is mocked. Do I stand up for him? Many times I don’t.

I will suffer for standing up for the Messiah Jesus. As faithful followers, we all will suffer. That isn’t a pleasant thought.

I have been given a great gift from God and the power to be faithful from the Holy Spirit, sent by Jesus. My work is holy. God has a goal for me. I can be faithful.

Jesus has done an amazing thing for me. Death has been defeated by his sacrifice. Life is mine. It is all a gift. Nothing I have done to deserve it. Nothing I could do to earn it. A complete gift. It is all about what Jesus has done. It has nothing to do with what I have done.

So don’t be embarrassed to speak up for our Master or for me, his prisoner. Take your share of suffering for the Message along with the rest of us. We can only keep on going, after all, by the power of God, who first saved us and then called us to this holy work. We had nothing to do with it. It was all his idea, a gift prepared for us in Jesus long before we knew anything about it. But we know it now. Since the appearance of our Savior, nothing could be plainer: death defeated, life vindicated in a steady blaze of light, all through the work of Jesus.

~Apostle Paul – Source: 2 Timothy 1:8-10 (The Message Bible)

“I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God.” ~Apostle Paul

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2 Timothy 1, Apostle Paul Sayings, Gift, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Love, Messiah, Power

Holy Spirit

Some times, OK, many times, I need to be reminded to fan the flame. It hasn’t completely gone out but it is flickering. It isn’t very strong and is providing very little light.

So the reminder comes. It is now. The Spirit of God gives us power. This is the same Spirit that raised Jesus, the Messiah, from the dead. Why be timid? No reason at all.

I just need to fan the flame. The Spirit is in me. It is in us. No need to be timid at all.

 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:6 TNIV Bible

“It’s something only God can do, and you trust him to do it.” ~Apostle Paul

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Faith, Gift, Jesus, Messiah, Romans 4, Trust

Trust

There are many things we work for and we deserve to be paid for it. Getting paid for what we do is in no way considered a gift.

We can’t work our way into right standing with God. We have clearly missed his goal for our lives. It is only through the gift of God’s son Jesus, the Messiah, that we can come into the presence of God. It is not something we could do for ourselves. It is only something Jesus could do for us.

Our job is to have faith and believe. Our job is to trust God.

If you’re a hard worker and do a good job, you deserve your pay; we don’t call your wages a gift. But if you see that the job is too big for you, that it’s something only God can do, and you trust him to do it—you could never do it for yourself no matter how hard and long you worked—well, that trusting-him-to-do-it is what gets you set right with God, by God. Sheer gift. Romans 4:4-5

What fruit am I bearing?

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Affection, Fruit, Gift, God, Love, Shopping

There is my way and there is God’s way. What happens when we live God’s way? Imagine an orchard and the fruit that it produces. That is what God does for us. It is a gift because He loves us so much and is so very good. His gifts are like fruit just showing up one day. Bam!!!

So what are some of the gifts he gives us so freely? A real affection for others. Nothing fake at all. How about that amazing exuberance for living every day for Him? Remember the serenity that comes from knowing that Jesus is so great? How about that compassion we sensed one day when normally we wouldn’t even care? And that conviction that we have never experienced before. A sense of being set apart for God and God’s purpose.

Now here is a gift worth receiving. Finding ourselves involved in loyal commitments we have never imagined before.

May we marshal our energy wisely taking full advantage of His gifts.

What is my give to get ratio?

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Gift, Love, Serve

Never stop loving

We live in a culture where there is always something else to get. We are not content. We want the latest smartphone, TV, car, etc., when there is nothing wrong with what we have.  God’s goal for us is to give, not get.

Today is a day to think about my give to get ratio.

So, what did I give? What did I get?

Jesus, the Messiah and our Master, is about giving. He came and continues to serve.

Jesus challenges us to give. He is all about love. My evaluation of the day should be based on how much did I give.

Want a present? Focus on today as a gift of God.

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1 Corinthians 1, Gift, Jesus, Present, Regret, Worry

Gift of God

We worry about tomorrow. We regret yesterday.

Jesus, the Messiah and our Master, challenged us to pray, “give us this day our daily bread”.

God is a God of today and now. God is. God has given us a great gift. It is now.

May all the gifts and benefits that come from God our Father, and the Master, Jesus the Messiah, be yours. 1 Corinthians 1:3 The Message (MSG)

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” ~Apostle Paul

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2 Corinthians 9, Apostle Paul Sayings, Gift, God, Jesus, Messiah

Some days it is hard to describe. And, if the Apostle Paul couldn’t do it some days, I guess it is OK if I can’t either.

God has given us an amazing gift. Sometimes it is hard to describe. What we know is that God is in a good mood. God gives us stunning gifts. Through Jesus, his son and our Messiah, we have life that will never end.

What can I do? I can be thankful. And so, I am!!!

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15

“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Jesus.” ~Apostle Paul

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Case Study, Colossians 1, Gift, Reconcile

Gift of eternal life

I am a case study in what God can do. I had turned my back on Jesus. I had rebellious thoughts and was defiant. I gave Him trouble at every turn, blaming God for my problems.

But, oh what a gift God gave to me. It gave God great pleasure to let everything He had dwell in Jesus. It just filled Him up and it flowed out to all of us. Through Jesus’ great sacrifice I now have peace with my Father.

I can’t walk away from a gift like that!!! No way.

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:19

“And where does that leave our proud religious claim of having a corner on God? Canceled.” ~~Apostle Paul

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Apostle Paul Sayings, Generosity, Gift, Jesus, Messiah, Righteous, Romans 3

Being “religious” carries some weight with God doesn’t it? Unfortunately, not a bit. Not even a little. Being Jewish or Baptist or Muslim doesn’t do it.

There is nothing we can do, even being religious, to get in right standing with God.  Out of sheer generosity God put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of King Jesus, the Messiah.

“And where does that leave our proud religious claim of having a corner on God? Also canceled.” ~~Apostle Paul (Romans 3:29 The Message)

“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Messiah.” ~Apostle Peter

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2 Peter 3, Apostle Peter Sayings, Gift, Glory, Grace, Jesus, Knowledge, Messiah

What a gift it is to know our Master Jesus. It isn’t anything I have earned. Our Father just loves me so much that He gives me this amazing opportunity. That is His grace (gift).

May I grow in knowing Jesus today.  To know Him is to love Him. And to be able, because of that love, to love others. I am not there yet. But I can grow in knowledge of Him. That is the focus.

Grow is the goal.  Grow. Grow in grace. Grow in knowledge. That is the glory I must focus on.

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Messiah. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.  2 Peter 3:18

“The more liberty you give away the more you will have.” ~Robert Green Ingersoll

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Gift, Jesus, Liberty, Robert Green Ingersoll

LIberty

There is something about giving. Jesus challenges to give, serve and promote God’s freedom.

The more liberty you give away the more you will have. ~Robert Green Ingersoll

 

"God gives his best to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty." ~~Jesus

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Gift, Grace, Jesus, Jesus Sayings, Love, Matthew 5

God’s generosity extends to everyone. He includes the evil, the bad and the nasty in His plans to redeem and restore. He is not like us, good to those who are good to us but vindictive to those who hurt us.

He gives his best to everyone. Think about that. In our world, we dole things out in a hierarchical way. Average things to most people and the best for a few. Not our Father. He gives his best to everyone. No distinctions.

Here are the key ideas:

1. God is good to everyone. No one can escape his love.
2. God’s goal is for us know that he loves us.
3. God is God so he can chose to love everyone.
4. God is in a good mood because he gives his best to everyone.
5. God is great because only a great God could love everyone regardless of how many times they have missed God’s goal for their life.

“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.  (Matthew 5:43-47 The Message)

“To me, the very least of all saints, this gift was given, to proclaim the Good News of the unfathomable riches of Christ.” ~Apostle Paul

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Ephesians 3, Gift, Grace, Riches

Gift of God

That God has done something in my life is a real surprise, Him handling every single detail. It is nothing but a gift, His riches which I have a hard time understanding, coming to me every day.

I am writing about things that are way over my head.

My task is to bring out into open what He is doing. God’s goal for me is to make sure everyone hears the good news. 

His generosity is amazing. It is hard to get my arms around it.

The credit goes to Him. It is His work for sure.

To me, the very least of all saints, this gift was given, to proclaim the Good News of the unfathomable riches of Christ, Ephesians 3:8

 

God Thoughts: Every day is my birthday

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Gift, Jesus, Now, Power, Psalm 2

This is both prophecy about Jesus and also a message to us as God’s children. Our God is a living, today kind of God. What is His message to us today? God is in a good mood. He wants the best for us. 

See today like you would your birthday. Today is a day of celebration. What gift do we want from our Heavenly Dad? He will give us anything. Nations? Continents? Dancing in the street? Or, like Solomon, do we ask for wisdom.

I also think this is in the physical as well as spiritual world. He has promised it is all ours. Supernatural courage and His powerful Spirit make it so.

Let me tell you what God said next. He said, “You’re my son, And today is your birthday. What do you want? Name it: Nations as a present? Continents as a prize? You can command them all to dance for you, Or throw them out with tomorrow’s trash.” Psalms 2:7-9

May I seek and ask for His power today. What gift do I want from my Heavenly Dad? May I live like today is my birthday in Him.