Tag Archive | Bible

Redeemed Ambassadors

Oct23

And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. 

He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. 

I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.

If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. 

For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.

I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”  

John 12:44‭-‬50 NASB

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;  knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.     

1 Peter 1:13‭, ‬17‭-‬19 NASB

🌹Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:18‭-‬20 NASB

🙏 Jesus, our perfect example, help us to rely on Your word, Your Holy Spirit, and our hope found in You to be Your ambassadors of reconciliation to the lost of the world.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

To Serve – Follow

Oct22

If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. John 12:26 NASB

The service of the Lord is not done alone. It cannot be accomplished by any one person. If you desire to serve the Lord, then you must follow Jesus. He is the One who accomplishes the Father’s will. We are blessed to be a part of that work because the Father will honor us when we follow Jesus in service.

What is the service of the Lord? To lead people to reconciliation with God. Christ came to reconcile mankind to the Father.

So follow Jesus for when we do we know the way to go:

And you know the way where I am going.”  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.                     John 14:4‭, ‬6 NASB

🌹Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. John 17:24 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Faithful

Oct21

As Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. Now hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this was. They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he called out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And he said, “Lord, I want to regain my sight!” And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.”  Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.                          Luke 18:35‭-‬43 NASB

“Lord, I want to regain my sight”.

This man had lost his sight, for you can’t regain something you never had.

Haven’t we all been there? Lost sight of our way? Lost the intimacy we have had with Jesus in the past?

This man was persistent to get the attention of Jesus even while those around him

“were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more”. And those trying to keep him quiet were leaders. “Those who led the way”.

By his faithfulness he pursued Jesus. By his faithfulness his eyes were opened. By his faithfulness he followed Jesus. But even greater than all this “when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.”

Your faithfulness is seen by many.

🌹Are you faithfully following Jesus? Do others see Jesus in you? If not it is time to ask for Jesus to “to regain my sight!” Then be faithful to follow.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Looking for More

Oct20

Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”      Luke 17:20‭-‬21 NASB

Aren’t we always looking for something better? Something more? While looking all about us we miss what is right in front of our faces.

How many of us have searched for something, ie. car keys, when we are in a hurry to go out the door and they are right there in plain sight but somehow we miss seeing them.

Is that what our focus is today regarding Jesus? We are so looking forward to His return, looking for signs, that we miss the “right now” daily walk with Him.

Like the keys that we know are hanging where we always leave them, have we put Jesus away somewhere in the future knowing He’ll be there when I need Him, when I’m ready at some future time? Are we looking for Him when He is right in front of us waiting for our acknowledgement of His presence in our lives today, right now?

🌹Don’t miss out on the relationship looking for His coming. He is already here. His return is simply to gather to the promised land those who are walking with Him now.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Thankful for Blessings

Oct19

As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed.

Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan.

Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine-where are they?  Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?”  And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has made you well.”                  Luke 17:12‭-‬19 NASB

Are you thankful for the blessings of God? Are you even aware of blessings from God?

God is visible all around us to those who know Him personally and realize that He is intimately involved in every aspect of our day, our lives.

When we start looking and then thanking God for the little blessings we will begin to notice more and more of everyday blessings and realize how loved we are and that there are no little blessing. All blessings from God are the outpouring of the love of God on us.

🌹How thankful are you? Enough to stop whatever you are doing to acknowledge God for His blessings as you receive them?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Prayer Connection

Oct16

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
Jeremiah 29:12

And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.
Acts 4:31

What is the connection between prayer and the movement of the Holy Spirit?

Without God we are unable to accomplish His work, will, plan. Without Him we are unable to bring glory to His name. Without Him we are nothing.

Prayer in the Holy Spirit connects us to the One Holy God. In Him we are transformed into the image of Christ. In Him we are revived. In Him we are taught, guided, empowered so that we can speak the word of God, share the gospel, with boldness.

🌹 How is your prayer life?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Spiritual Health

Oct16

The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness.      
Luke 11:34‭-‬35 NASB

When you have a healthy spiritual life you are full of light, an illuminating light of God to others.The unhealthy spiritual life is full of darkness, it is evil in you.

Taking care of your spiritual health is important. Pay attention to your spiritual health lest it become darkness.

🌹 Have you had a spiritual check-up lately? If not, it is time to make an appointment with the Great Physician.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon 🌹

Leaven

Oct13

Leaven: an element that produces an altering or transforming influence. – to permeate with an altering or transforming element.

And Jesus said to them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”                 Matthew 16:6 NASB

Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Matthew 16:12 NASB

Who or what is your leaven? How and where do you spend your day, your free time? Who do you spend your social time with and where? Look around you. What environment and what people are influencing your life?

My hope is that the Holy Spirit is your leaven, the transforming power of God in you. That you are also being encouraged through the church, the people of God. These two factors will puff you up to be able to handle the blows the world sends your way so you may rise to the fullness of Christ in you for His glory, purpose and will.

🌹Surrender to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in you.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Worship Leads To . . .

Oct12

Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. Psalms 96:2 NASB

“Proclaim good tidings”, good news, “of His salvation”. How good are we at doing that? Do we proclaim the gospel “from day to day”?

If we are honest many of us have never even shared the gospel. We trust the church to do that so we invite people to church.

Could there be a missing link as to why we don’t share?

“Sing to the Lord, bless His name”.

🌹How is your prayer life? Where is your main focus directed throughout your day? Is worship of God a priority in your life? Do you have a personal, intimate, real relationship with Almighty God?

Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
Psalms 100:4 NASB

If you do you will experience Him and be filled up with His Holy Spirit. Under the Holy Spirit’s guidance you can’t help but proclaim Jesus Christ.

🌹How is your relationship with God. He calls us to proclaim His gospel.

And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.
Luke 10:2; Matthew 9:37-38 NASB

You might want to read Psalm 71 while contemplating the connection of the worship of God leading to proclaiming salvation to the lost.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

In Jesus Only

Oct7

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;
John 5:39 NASB

From Genesis to Revelation is the testimony  and revelation of Jesus Christ. He was in the beginning at the creation. He is present in all the Scriptures revealing His character, His plan, His redemptive power, the revelation of His manifestation as a man walking the earth. His death, resurrection and return one day to usher His saints into eternity.

In Jesus Christ alone is salvation and eternal life.

🌹Do you want to know Him? Do you want a deep personal walk with Jesus, walk in His footsteps? Open the word of God and search the Scriptures for they testify of Him.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon