Tag Archive | Christ

1 John 3:23-24

Sep14

This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. 1 John 3:23‭-‬24 NASB

God, Father, You have commanded me to believe in Your Son, Jesus Christ. It is the true work of Yours, Father, that I believe in Jesus whom You sent. It is You who sent the true bread out of heaven. I am gratefully blessed to be called Your child, God, for I believe in the name of Jesus! You, Lord, have commanded to love one another, even as You have loved. By the power of the Holy Spirit abiding in me others will know I am Your disciple by the love I have for others. Holy Spirit teach me as I read the Word. Hide it in my heart so the love of God will truly be perfected in me. I pray I walk in the same manner as Jesus walked with full assurance that I am abiding in Him. Thank You, God, for Your Holy Spirit. John 6:29/John 6:32/John 1:12/John 13:34-35/1 John 2:5-6 NASB

🌹that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. John 14:17 NASB

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon 

Philippians 3:9

Jun30

and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,
Philippians 3:9 NASB

Righteousness in the law is to adhere to the law in obedience. Paul was righteous in adhering to the law being a staunch Pharisee, zealous for keeping the law even to the point of persecuting those who followed Jesus.
as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.
Philippians 3:6 NASB
and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.
Galatians 1:14‭ NASB
but only, they kept hearing, “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy.”
Galatians 1:23 NASB
What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,
Romans 9:30‭-‬32 NASB

Holy God, I bow in reverence to Your perfect righteousness. Forgive me for thinking and trying to earn Your righteousness by works.
Father, You sent Your only Son, Jesus, who knew no sin to be sin on my behalf, so that I can become Your righteousness, the righteousness of God, in Christ. It is by Your doing, Father, that I am in Christ Jesus, who became to me my wisdom and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption. How can I possibly thank You enough for my having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of You, God? Bless me Lord, I pray, by satisfying my hunger and thirst for righteousness found only in Jesus Christ, my righteousness. My Redeemer. This I ask in the righteous name of Jesus, my righteousness. Amen.
2 Corinthians 5:21/1 Corinthians 1:30/Philippians 1:11/Matthew 5:6 NASB

🌹If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
Romans 8:10 NASB
for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
Romans 10:10 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon 

What Are You Professing?

Aug6

They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.         Titus 1:16 NASB

What are people in the world seeing in you? Do they see themselves? Living life in discontent, fear, greed, selfishness, pride, disobedience?

Or do they see Jesus? Contentment, peace, godliness, righteousness, giving, loving, mercy, grace, obedience – the qualities of Christ living, abiding in you?

Is God’s word planted in your heart? Is He your constant companion? Are you fully aware of His presence throughout your day? Are you clothed in His righteousness? Obedient at all cost to His will, His plan, His purpose?

The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 1 John 2:4 NASB

A sure gauge, plumbline to assess ourselves. Jesus is the Truth. If He is abiding in you then obedience to God will be evident. The Holy Spirit enables us to be obedient to His word, His commandments, His will and His purpose.

Without Him we are nothing, able to do nothing. With Christ in us we are able to be content whatever the situation, be fearless in the unknown because we are secure in the One who knows all and able to be obedient.

🌹 Are others seeing Jesus in you?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Accept One Another?!

Mar27

Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. — Romans 15:7

Now that’s a tall order!!! Accept others with all the baggage they carry? Accept those high maintenance, outcasts of society, and the egotistical, arrogant, selfish, prideful, disobedient, unfaithful? . . . well enough talking about me. I’m a sinner. I admit it. But with Jesus becoming my life He is transforming me into a godly person ready for heaven.

Do we reach out to people, just like us, to introduce them to Jesus? Do we accept THAT kind of person when they walk through the doors of our churches or do we shy away and ignore and shun them? Reminds me of a testimony:

A number of years ago a young woman visited the church I was attending. She filled out an attendance card so she made the list for visitation Monday.

An older couple (Deacon and wife) and I were the ones blessed to visit her that Monday. We arrived at her trailer and she seemed genuinely happy to see us and invited us in. In this tiny trailer we stepped over and around toys, dirty clothes, a mattress in the middle of the floor with wadded up sheets and sat on a dilapidated sunk down low, filthy, well worn couch. What would your reaction be and what expression would she have seen on your face?

To the glory of God I marched in there with a smile on my face, thanked her for visiting our church, gave her information and shared the gospel. She was no different than me when it came to my need for Christ.

People need the Lord. Will we let their garbage stop us from accepting them, sharing the gospel and helping them grow in Christ? Jesus accepted our garbage all the way to the cross. What are you willing to do for others?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Sweet Aroma

Aug9

and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. — Ephesians 5:2

Christ loved and “gave Himself up for us”. Are you willing to give yourself up for someone? Who might that be? Are you willing to give yourself up for Christ so He may do a good work in you? Give yourself as a holy sacrifice? Surrender means giving it all up for Christ who gave it all up for you. Are you willing to die for the cause of Christ? He was for you.

Today, be a fragrant aroma of offering and sacrifice to God. In turn you then will be a sweet aroma to those around you.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Will They Know?

Jul10

How effective would we be for the Kingdom of God if we did what God’s Word said? To fervently love one another, to serve one another, to encourage and build up one another to be more like Christ? Would our neighbors want to be a part of what we do? Would they long to be a part of our family — the family of God?

Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4:8-10 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. — Ephesians 4:12-13

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. — 1 John 4:11 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. — Ephesians 5:1-2

I can’t help but wonder what would happen if we used the gifts that God gave us to serve one another in love. Would we be viewed as a peculiar people, set apart for God’s purpose? Would we make a difference in the world? Would they know we are Christians by our love?

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We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we’ll guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

By our love, by our love

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

By our love, by our love

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

Love is patient, love is kind
Never boasts, not full of pride
Always hopes, always trusts
The evidence of Christ in us

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon