Friday, January 31, 2025

Jesus, the Greater Adam

 


I don't know about you, but I sometimes weary of how the world is right now with the many heartaches and trials.  God created the physical world with beauty and perfection.  He also created the first people, Adam and Eve, sinless, perfect, and good.  God did create them with free will, however, and they chose to sin and disobey God.  They were in a perfect and beautiful environment in the Garden of Eden where God placed them.  Yet they failed to obey God in the one act of obedience that God asked of then.  They succumbed to the devil's temptation.  Thus sin with its consequences entered the world.

Yet praise God that there is still hope, peace, and joy for the child of God.  The first Adam failed, but Jesus, who is sometimes called the second Adam, and is our Great High Priest came to this earth to again give us hope.  He left a perfect place in heaven with the Father and came to this very flawed world.

Jesus lived a perfectly sinless life for us  in spite of the devil tempting Him in the very hostile and imperfect environment of the wilderness.  Then Jesus died the awful death of death on the cross.  He did this to pay the punishment for our sins.  Finally, He rose again from death to win victory over death.  Hence, we will one day be with Him forever free from all heartache, tears, and trials.  We will be living  in perfect peace and joy with the Lord forever.  Hence, those who are children of God and seeking to obey Him are filled with His hope because of our glorious promised future.

Even though we still live in a sin laced and troubled world. we already are able to enjoy a sweet relationship with our Lord.  We can know that the Lord will always be faithful to us and guide us throughout all our life on this earth.  We can know that we have a Savior who can perfectly sympathize with our weaknesses and our heartaches.  We can go to the Lord with all our needs and rest in Him    Trying to forge ahead in our own perceived abilities will never work, but in the measure that we can rest in the Lord we will experience peace, hope, and strength.  Rejoice and rest in  Him and in the promises of His Word, child of God!
















 

Thursday, January 16, 2025

Thank You, Lord

 


Thank You, Lord, for the lessons taught by grief and other trials.  Thank You, Lord, that You use suffering to help me grow spiritually and emotionally.  Thank You,  Lord, that grief and other trials teaches me that I am not in control of anything; but You, Lord, are in control of everything-that You are sovereign and are God!  Thank You, Lord, that even in the very difficult things which I have experienced in my life such as breast cancer and the decline and deaths of my parents and my two husbands, Your sovereign plan for my life was still in place.  Thank You, Lord, that even in more recent household and car issues You are in your control.  Thank You, Lord, for being with me each step of the way and for what You taught me and are continuing to teach me through every difficult experience.

Thank You, Lord, that Your wisdom is beyond my understanding.  Thank You, Lord, that You are a loving and caring God.  Thank You, Lord, that I can trust You.  Thank You. Lord, that You use suffering for my ultimate good; so I become more like You, Jesus, in my actions and attitudes and become the person You intend me to be.  Thank You, Lord, for Your hope and joy.

Lord, instead of me asking, "Why did you allow this to happen?' type questions; help me to ask, "How  can I grow and honor You through this experience?" type questions.   Lord, grant me patience, as I wait on Your perfect timing for healing.  Thank  You, Lord, for the peace and healing I will and do find only in You.  Help me, Lord, to remember that this world is only temporal, and help me to not try to distract myself with mere busyness or meaningless pursuits but to rather rest in You and shine for You.

Thank You, Lord, that in my eternal home there will be no more instability, fear, or sadness.  Thank You, Lord, that in Eternity I will never stop learning more and more about the wonders of Your character.  Thank You, Lord that it is You who will make Eternity wonderful, but also thank You that I will  be reunited with loved ones as well  Thank You, Lord, that I  can experience hope. peace, and joy because of what lies ahead in Eternity!

Friday, January 3, 2025

Who is Worthy to Open the Scroll?


As I mentioned in a previous blog post, in our church in our evening services we have been contemplating that Jesus is the Lamb of God who was slain to pay for our sins.  In the book of Revelation in chapter 5 an angel is lamenting that no one is able and worthy to open the scroll in the author, John's vision.  But then it was also revealed that Jesus, the Lamb of God, is the only One who is worthy to open the scroll and also the only One worthy of praise and worship.  The scroll that He alone is worthy to open is symbolic of the future of all the world's events and of the unfolding of your and my life's stories.  He is the only One the that is able to implement His will for this world and for your and my lives.  He alone is in control.

You and I can trust Him in all this.  Will you and I submit to Him as the all powerful Lion of Judah?  Will we submit to Him as the Lamb of God who sacrificed Himself for us on the cross?  Will I personally submit to Him and trust Him my grief and also in the things I  don't understand?  Will  I  further trust Him with my fears for the future?  He is worthy of my trust! 

There is a beautiful song that the Lord Jesus alone is worthy to open the scroll of this world's history and to implement His will in our lives.  You can listen to that song by clicking the following link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkRiYsTN7KY