God’s Word Bestows LIFE

God’s Word bestows life upon all who embrace it and Him. There is the written Word of God (logos) which is alive and active; and there is the living Word of God—and there is complete harmony between them.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God, and the Word was with God… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (Joh 1:1, 14)

Jesus is the living Word of God because the Lord revealed Himself totally to humanity through Jesus, His Son. Jesus is the ‘Word’ who became flesh and lived on the earth among mankind.

I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life. (Ps 119:93 NKJV) God gives us life through His Word. Praise the Lord!

The Spirit is the one who gives life! Human strength can do nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are from that life-giving Spirit. (Joh 6:63 CEV) God’s Word comes from a living God to bestow blessings, salvation, and eternal life to His people.

We are so highly blessed! Thank the Lord!

We Are Eternally Redeemed

It’s an interesting truth to realize that we are redeemed for all eternity! Once we have accepted Jesus Christ as our own, personal Savior, He is committed to bringing us “to glory.” Let’s review some pertinent Scriptures:

And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. (Heb 5:9 ESV)

Jesus became the SOURCE of eternal salvation to all who obey Him and follow Him.

For it was fitting for God [that is, an act worthy of His divine nature] that He, for whose sake are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the author and founder of their salvation perfect through suffering [bringing to maturity the human experience necessary for Him to be perfectly equipped for His office as High Priest]. (Heb 2:10 AMP)

Jesus is committed to every believer, because He is perfectly equipped for His role as our High Priest.

Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood he went into the Most Holy Place once for all and secured our eternal redemption. (Heb 9:12 ISV)

Jesus poured out His own, sacrificial blood upon the heavenly mercy set, in so doing has guaranteed our eternal redemption [salvation, deliverance, emancipation].

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (Eccl 3:11 NIV, emphasis added)

God, our creator, has set eternity in the human heart. Even in our imperfect, human condition, we have an aversion to the concept of death. I believe this is due to the fact that we’ve been made in the image of God, who is an eternal being. Our human hearts, whether we know it or not, resonate with the concept of living eternally. Jesus has made that possible for us because He IS the SOURCE of our eternal salvation. Hallelujah!

What Are People Looking For? (Part 2)

People are looking for a way out of pain, agony, and suffering. How can we help them? The joyous truth is that the Lord has not left us without answers or without help.

Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distress.
²⁰He sent His word and healed them and delivered them from their destruction. (Ps 107:19-20 MEV)

However, it was our sicknesses that He Himself bore, and our pains that He carried; yet we ourselves assumed that He had been afflicted, struck down by God, and humiliated.
⁵But He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings; the punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. (Isa 53:4-5 NASB)

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. (1 Pet 2:24 RSV)

When Jesus, our Savior, ministered to people He verified that God is our healer by miraculously healing people. These Scripture verses above explain WHY He did so.

There are multiple examples of Jesus’ disciples healing the sick and performing miracles. Those people that Jesus discipled, taught, and spent time with were emboldened to follow His example in doing signs and wonders for the glory of God, and for the benefit of hurting humanity.

Then Peter said, ‘Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’ ⁷Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. (Act 3:6-7 NIV)

Stephen performed amazing miracles and signs (Acts 6:8). Philip cast out demons and healed the lame (Acts 8:7; 8:13). Peter & John laid hands on believers who then received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-17). Peter heals lame Aeneas in Lydda (Acts 9:32-35).

Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. (Mt 10:1 NIV)

Jesus summoned together his twelve apostles and imparted to them authority over every demon and the power to heal every disease. Then he commissioned them to proclaim God’s kingdom and to heal the sick to demonstrate that the kingdom had arrived. (Luke 9:1-25 TPT – The Passion Translation)

Did you know that Jesus expects ALL of His followers to follow His example, too? Which includes you and me!

As you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand. ’Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. (Mt 10:7-8 MEV)

What we have received, the Lord wants us to share joyfully, generously, and without restrictions. It is our honor and privilege to be used as instruments of God to bring Him glory and honor and praise. God bless you!

What Are People Looking For? (Part 1)

Ordinary, everyday people are looking for a way out of pain, agony, and suffering. And who can blame them? They have more of these terrible things than anyone could ever want.

How can we, as believers, help them?

So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. (Mt 15:31 KJV)

God receives all of the glory and honor when people see miracles and wonders such as blind people and lame persons being miraculously healed. They rejoice when they see the power of God at work right in front of them. Praise God!

Jesus said in John 15:8, Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

The fruit that Jesus is speaking about is people being delivered from illness and pain and suffering. Jesus performed many miracles in many different places and among many gatherings of people. He gave us the example of showing love, forgiveness, and mercy to those who are in darkness and bondage, in pain and agony.

We will look at the answers that the Lord has already provided for us in our next article.

. . . for I, the Lord, am your healer. (Ex 15:26 NASB)

God says that HE is our healer. Glory to God most High!

In my next article we’ll look at more Scriptures on this topic and examples of miracles.

Ordinary, everyday people are looking for a way out of
pain, agony, and suffering. And who can
blame them? They have more of these
terrible things than anyone could ever want.

How can we, as believers, help them?

So the multitude marveled when they saw the
mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing;
and they glorified the God of Israel. (Mt 15:31 KJV)

God receives all of the glory and honor when people see
miracles and wonders such as blind people and lame persons being miraculously healed. They rejoice when they see the power of God
at work right in front of them. Praise
God!

Jesus said in John 15:8, Herein is my Father glorified,
that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

The fruit that Jesus is speaking about is
people being delivered from illness and pain and suffering. Jesus performed many miracles in many
different places and among many gatherings of people. He gave us the example of showing love, forgiveness,
and mercy to those who are in darkness and bondage, in pain and agony.

. . . for I, the Lord, am your healer. (Ex 15:26 NASB)

God says that HE is our healer. Glory to God most High!

In my next article we’ll look at more Scriptures on this
topic and examples of miracles.

Pay Much Closer Attention

The Scriptures teach believers and followers of Jesus Christ to pay much closer attention to the Word of God than is generally taught. There are multiple Bible verses that instruct us to:

Pay attention,
Listen to the Word,
Keep God’s Word before your eyes,
Keep Scriptures in your heart (memorize them),
Treasure God’s Word, and
Consider the Scriptures as the apple of our eye (a special treasure).

These Bible passages also inform us that God’s Word is wisdom, so it would benefit us enormously to heed these teachings.

My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. ²¹They are not to escape from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. (Pro 4:20-21 NASB)

Proverbs 4 urges us to ‘pay attention’ to God’s Word by listening to the Word, keeping them in front of our eyes, and keeping them in our heart. And that means DAILY and often throughout each day.

My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion . . . (Pro 3:21 NIV)

My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding . . . (Pro 5:1 NIV)

My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye . . . (Pro 7:1-2 NIV)

Don’t disdain or try to bypass the Word of God. Rather, we do well to study God’s Word, honor it, and obey it. God’s Word will bless us with wisdom and prudence. When we treat the Word of God as our treasure and the gift that brings us joy, insight and revelation, it will return to us blessings and contentment that can’t be foreseen! God bless you!

The Lord Vindicates Us

Vindicate means to justify, to absolve or to defend. The Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ is our Mediator in several different Scripture verses: Hebrews 8:6; 9:15; and 12:24.

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, ²⁴being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus . . . (Rom 3:23-24 MEV)

Romans 3 (above) clearly testifies that we have been justified by the work of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. What an eternal blessing from God!

The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands. (Ps 138:8 NIV)

I will cry to God Most High, to God who vindicates me. (Ps 57:2 MEV)

Both of the Scriptures shown above in the book of Psalms say undeniably that God is our justifier.

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Rom 5:10 NIV)

This Bible verse in Romans 5, above, demonstrates the work by which we have been absolved and justified. It is through the conciliatory work of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Messiah. We have been saved by the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Every believer who has accepted Jesus as their Savior and Redeemer has been justified, saved and cleansed. And we have the future promise of eternal life–glory to God most High!

Your Faith Has Healed You

We read in the Bible several times that Jesus said to someone, “Your faith has made you well” or “Your faith has healed you.” How did that come about?

And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” (Mk 5:34 ESV)

Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road. (Mk 10:52 NKJV)

Then Jesus turned around. He saw her and said, “Daughter, take hope! Your faith has healed you.” At once the woman was healed. (Mt 9:22 NLV)

My understanding of these situations covers a couple of ideas which are still applicable today. First of all, what Jesus was doing as He traveled around, was being spoken about by all of the people and the stories were passed along from person to person, and from place to place. People began EXPECTING miracles to happen in Jesus’ presence because they heard the stories about the many miracles that followed Him everywhere that He went! That expectation is faith.

The second part is that Jesus taught the people from the Old Testament everywhere He went. He told Bible stories and parables, and demonstrated that God loves His people. Jesus also demonstrated the last portion of Exodus 15:26: “I am the Lord who heals you.”

After Jesus taught from the Scriptures, He would look around Him and see someone who needed healing. Jesus would minister to the person, and the person would be healed at once. This caused the faith of everyone (in the crowd of observers) to rise instantaneously. Glory to God!

We have more Scriptures to stand upon now, and all of the works and miracles of Jesus to study. We have current testimonies of miracles available today. Whatever your need, study the Bible and search for testimonies of miracles that are just like what you desire and need. Then turn to the Lord in faith and expectation, and ask Him to meet your need. God bless you!

God Saved Us, Hallelujah!

The Scriptures remind us that the Lord provided salvation for us through Jesus Christ before time began. This is an eternal gift that just keeps on giving, and we should meditate upon it and thank the Lord for it continuously.

He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. (Tit 3:5 NIV)

The Lord saved us because of His great mercy. We are a new creation in Christ. (2 Cor 5:17)

You are saved by God’s grace because of your faith. This salvation is God’s gift. It’s not something you possessed. (Eph 2:8 CEB)

We have been saved by placing our faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ who took our punishment, suffering, and death and arose from the dead.

He saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our own accomplishments, but according to his own purpose and the grace that was given to us in the Messiah Jesus before time began. (2 Tim 1:9 ISV)

God poured out His grace upon each and every believer to enable and empower them to accept Jesus Christ as their own personal Savior, Redeemer and Lord. We have reason to rejoice always!

Without Love, We Gain Nothing

In our motivations for obeying the Lord and serving Him, if we aren’t motivated by love, and operating by God’s love, then all our work will be proven useless. The Bible teaches us this.

If I have the gift of speaking God’s Word and if I understand all secrets, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I know all things and if I have the gift of faith so I can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. (1 Cor 13:2 NLV)

Even the gift of faith without love, does not elevate us spiritually in the eyes of the Lord.

He who does not love does not know God; for God is love. (1 Joh 4:8 RSV)

The Bible teaches us that if we don’t operate out of love, we don’t know Him, for GOD IS LOVE.

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Cor 13:3 NIV)

Even giving everything that we own away, and undergoing physical suffering will not give us a reason to boast before the Lord, because He sees the hidden motivations of the heart.

All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. (Pro 16:2 NIV)

If our motives for doing a ‘good deed’ are not right in God’s sight, the deed is hollow and spiritually worthless. So, on a daily basis, we all need to check our hearts and our motives. If we realize that our motives are not pure, turn to the Lord and sincerely repent, and He will pour out His grace and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 Joh 1:9) God bless you.

Do You Want a Long Life?

Most people would say ‘yes’ in answer to the question of, “Do you want a long life?” Psalm 91:16 (NIV) says: With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation. This is a promise from God to His people.

Here are several other Scriptures about today’s topic.

Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. (Pro 4:10 ESV)

My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and long life and peace will they add to you. (Pro 3:1-2 MEV)

¹³Blessed is a person who finds wisdom, and one who obtains understanding. ¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. (Pro 3:13, 16 NASB)

As we observe from the three Bible passages I’ve listed, the Lord clearly wishes to bless all of His people with a long and blessed life. But He asks us to do a handful of things:

Receive His Word and say “yes” to it, and then God will bless us with a long life.
When we remember the Lord’s teachings and obey them, He will bless us with long life and peace.
A person who ‘finds’ and treasures wisdom has sought it in the Scriptures, and with wisdom comes understanding. Again, long life is shown as a natural outworking of the gift of wisdom.

It’s not surprising that the Lord promises the blessing of a long life and peace to those who honor, obey, and study His Word. God bless you as You follow the Lord’s guidelines.

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