Looking to God

Be thoughtful towards one another, for the days are short; and when Jesus Christ comes back, He will ask us to give an account of all our doings. No manner of riches will save the sinner who has flaunted grace in Christ’s name.

“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

(Hebrews 13:16)

Bless all, give heed to the Holy Spirit and love others despite their outward appearance. Christ will save the poor of spirit and the pure of heart. He will judge the world according to their works. Those who love God, keep His commandments, and love others, will live.

Take care of the aged among us, for they do not have the strength to look after themselves. Provide shelter to the homeless, for we do not know what their plight was before seeing them on the street. Give to the poor, for they will have rest in Christ.

Look to God for strength. Have mercy on those who are blind to the truth. Let your light shine in a world where deception reigns. God will remember your deeds and He will reward you for all that you have done. Do good always.

Let us not mistake Jesus’ love for us. Through Adam, we all have sinned, but through Christ, who died on the cross for us, we are all alive. He died for us while we were still sinners and His sacrifice glorified His love.

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

(Romans 5:6-8)

Would we die for a friend? Even more so, would we die for a friend who had done us wrong? Our friend may have hurt us in word and in deed, may have besmirched our name, or may have hated us. Jesus calls us friends, and He died for us while we were yet doing wrong to Him.

How great is God’s love for us that He would consider us friends and want to give up His Son so that sin would not claim our lives to the fiery depths of hell. As great as the tallest mountain is, so is God’s love for us.

How great is Jesus’s love for us that He would endure the stripes of affliction, the heated words of His persecutors and the suffering of the cross so that we would have salvation. As wide as the universe is, God loves us so much.

Jesus loved us so much that He did not want to see any of us perish. Through sin, we were all dead, but through Christ dying on the cross for us, we are now alive; for God extended His mercy upon us and forgave us of our sin so we might live.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

(Galatians 2:20)

When we repented and were baptized, God’s gift to us was the Holy Spirit. Christ now lives in us, His righteousness is manifest and by faith, we are justified. No longer do we have the penalty of sin hanging over our head, but instead we have eternal life.

God is good. His pleasure for us as a church is to live an abundant life, filled with joy and love toward Him and our neighbor. His plan is for mercy and goodness to follow us all the days of our life and for us to dwell in His house forever.

God is merciful toward us because He loves us. He wants all of us to experience the fruit of His Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The only way He could have done that is if Christ lives in us.

The good news of the gospel is that Jesus Christ our Lord died, was buried and rose on the third day to sit at the right hand of the Father. As Christians, our hope is in Him through whom we have salvation by His sacrifice on the cross for our sins.

“For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:9-10)

How great is our God to have given His Son so that we could have eternal life. No other event throughout all ages compares with what He purposed from the beginning, to redeem us from death so that we would have redemption.

As Christ rose from His grave, He defeated Death and Hades, after which there were no more enemies to conquer. His majesty is sure, the breadth of His domain is without end and His kingship over all things will last forever.

O wonderful is He; Jesus Christ our Lord, for His name is holy and pure. Through Him, we have eternal life, and through Him, we have salvation, which God has given to us freely because we believe He is the Son of God.

Blessed are those who believe Jesus, as we will one day rise, for Jesus is our salvation!

Believe Jesus is the Son of God and have salvation. Through Christ’s sacrifice, God has forgiven us, imparted into us eternal life through the Holy Spirit and saved us from the penalty of sin, which is death. Our hope is in Jesus.

“To those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.”

(Romans 2:7)

We have reason to celebrate the wonderful, free gift God has given us. We no longer bear the burden of guilt brought upon us by our sins. We are no longer bondservants to iniquity. God has redeemed us through Christ’s death and resurrection.

We have eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. He is our salvation. He is the only person through whom we can come to the Father. By no other name do we have life eternal. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

Believe Jesus is the Son of God and God will save you from the wages of sin. He will give you the free gift of life, filled with hope, brimful and running over. Blessed are we, for ours will be the kingdom of heaven.

God’s gift is life.

Should others bring shame upon your name, even though you have committed no wrong, forgive them. For as God has forgiven us, we ought to forgive others. Should others mistreat you and gossip about you, forgive them. God forgave you.

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

(Matthew 6:14-15)

Should others bring charges against you, saying evil things about you and spreading lies to cause you harm, be ready to declare the hope that lives within you. Proclaim Jesus and forgive them, for they do not know what they do.

Should someone hurt you in anger, giving the devil a door to work through, fear not! God will keep you and comfort you in your time of need. He will never let you go, for He has forgiven you your sins, as you should so do to them who sin against you.

Should you feel anger against another, wanting to take vengeance for a wrong done to you, repent and forgive them. God knows you and loves you and has forgiven you. Justice is His. Forgive without restraint.

Pray to God our Father, who has given us salvation through His Son Jesus. Bless the Lord, for He is good. Come before God with a humble heart. He will answer prayer and give relief to those who believe His Word.

But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD.
At an acceptable time, O God,
in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.

(Psalms 69:13)

As many a trial we endure, God will not leave us to languish by our own devices. He will provide His Spirit, and by His joyful heart, we will find rescue. For our prayers are as sweet incense to Him. No one can remove us from the presence of our Lord.

Though our enemies may surround us, God will raise legions of angels to protect us. The bulwarks He lifts as a boundary against evil will thwart all those who dare render His Word void. Our fervent prayer in the midst of darkness will be as a light to the unrighteous.

May God have mercy on the souls of the wicked, for His judgments are right and just. Our supplications will rise to Him who sits on His throne in heaven. Forevermore will be His gift of grace on us who believe, for God answers us.