The Crown of Life

Believers in Jesus Christ receive the crown of life. Let’s remember that before Jesus came, God had made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants. Jesus came so that the Gentiles might also be saved, and that atonement might be made for the sins of all of mankind. Jesus is the Lamb of God, and he was the perfect sacrifice for all of mankind. (see John 1:29, 36)

Believers are not promised an easy life in the Bible. We are warned in 2 Timothy 3:12 that those who desire to live godly in Jesus will suffer persecution. We must stop and realize that the enemy would not be attacking Christians so desperately if we did not possess something of great value.

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (Jas 1:12 NIV, emphasis added)

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer for ten days. But be faithful, even if you have to die, and I will give you the crown of life. (Rev 2:10 NCV, emphasis added)

Trials of various types test a Christian’s faith, develop endurance in their lives, and help develop spiritual maturity in them. We can all read in 1 Peter how Jesus responded to persecution:

Although he was abused, he never tried to get even. And when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he had faith in God, who judges fairly. (1 Pet 2:23 CEV)

The Lord will give every believer the sustaining grace that they need to go through such trials victoriously. We just need to hold onto our faith in God and in His ability to uphold and sustain us spiritually, mentally, and emotionally through persecution.

Let’s consider how we can stand firm in our resolve to continue speaking the Word of Life boldly, even under the threat of persecution.

Before persecution begins, we must prepare for it by cultivating the Word of God in our hearts. This means that we memorize various passages from the Bible and review them regularly to make sure we retain them.

Scripture teaches that we carry the Word of God in two places: in our mouths, and in our hearts (see Romans 10:8, and Deuteronomy 30:14). Remember this vital truth: Whenever persecution attempts to silence the Word that is in our mouths, it is the Word that is in our hearts which will sustain us.

We carry the incorruptible Seed of the Word of God in our mouths and in our hearts, and we cannot begin to fathom the fruit that will come from that Seed. Hold fast to the Seed that has been sown in your hearts, brothers and sisters! It will uphold and sustain you, along with the very real presence of the Prince of Peace who never leaves us. Glory to God!

We Must Set Our Hope On God Alone

It is important that we set our hope upon the Lord, Himself—and nothing and no one else.

The seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth choke the word, so it produces nothing. (Mt 13:22 NET)

We must try to stay clear from worldly cares and worldly desires, which will profit us nothing, spiritually.

Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. (Lk 8:14 NKJV)

The cares and pleasures of earthly life will not bring any form of spiritual fruit to maturity. And we must remember that we live for Christ—to serve Him and to bring Him glory and honor and praise.

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. (1 Tim 6:17 NASB)

Believers should never allow themselves to feel confident in wealth or financial security, for these are fleeting and can crumble in a day or even a span of earthly hours.

But true security comes from placing our hope and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ who has promised that He will NEVER leave us nor forsake us. This means that Jesus will NEVER disown, abandon, reject, or renounce anyone who has accepted Him as their own Savior and Lord.

THAT is true security—now only for the moment but throughout eternity! Hallelujah!

Don’t Sin Against the Holy Spirit

As believers in Jesus, we should be careful at all times with our words. We want to be especially vigilant that we do not speak any words that could be misconstrued as criticizing the Holy Spirit of God. Let’s see what the Bible says about this:

Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. (Mt 12:32 NIV, underscoring added)

But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never be forgiven, but is guilty of eternal sin. (Mk 3:29 ISV, underscoring added)

And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. (Lk 12:10 MEV)

One commentator says this:

“Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is willful, wide-eyed slandering of the work of the Spirit, attributing to the devil what was undeniably divine. These people had seen as clearly as anyone could see and understood as lucidly as anyone could understand that Jesus performed his miracles by the power of the Spirit.”

That is a clear explanation of what the Bible is referring to when it describes blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. No one who is a follower of Jesus Christ and a servant of the Most high God would ever want to transgress against the Lord in this way.

Sometimes, it’s just good to remind ourselves of some of these basic ideas so that we can renew our vigilance in these areas. God bless you.

Help Others & Do Good

The Scriptures teach us how to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. One clear instruction that is mentioned again and again is: ‘help others; do good.’ Here are some relevant Bible verses:

Trust the Lord and do good; live in the land, and farm faithfulness. (Ps 37:3 CEB)

Do not withhold what is good from those who deserve it; if it is within your power to give it, do it. (Pro 3:27 VOICE)

Make your light shine, so others will see the good you do and will praise your Father in heaven. (Mt 5:16 CEV)

So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith. (Gal 6:10 ASV)

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. (1 Thes 5:15 NIV)

If you know someone who doesn’t have any clothes or food, ¹⁶you shouldn’t just say, “I hope all goes well for you. I hope you will be warm and have plenty to eat.” What good is it to say this, unless you do something to help? (Jas 2:15-16 CEV)

Helping others and doing good accomplishes a number of positive things. Helping and blessing other people:

Makes the world a better place.
Makes us better people.
Creates a meaningful bond with people.
Strengthens community and is good for society.
Contributes to a long life.
Boosts our happiness, health, and sense of well-being.
Helps nurture our faith and inspires us to deepen our relationship with God.
Brings glory to God and generates a positive attitude towards believers.

When we help others, we join the Lord in the work that He is always doing.

Service to others from a heart that loves, obeys, and follows God actually resonates in eternity. (See Colossians 3:23-24 and Matthew 6:1-6)

This is a clear calling from the Lord to every believer. Rise up and answer the call, dear brothers, and sisters! You are blessed.

All Are Made Alive in Christ

God has made believers alive together with Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) . . . (Eph 2:4-5 NASB)

For as in Adam all die, so also in the Messiah will all be made alive. (1 Cor 15:22 ISV)

Consequently, just as condemnation for all people came through one transgression, so too through the one righteous act came righteousness leading to life for all people. ¹⁹For just as through the disobedience of the one man many were constituted sinners, so also through the obedience of one man many will be constituted righteous. ²⁰Now the law came inso that the transgression may increase, but where sin increased, grace multiplied all the more, ²¹so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom 5:18-21 NET)

Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. (1 Cor 15:45-49 NIV)

Before a person becomes born-again, they are dead in their evils and sins. Even when we were in that state, God loved us. Because He loved us, He gave us a Savior and Redeemer.

As believers in Christ, we identify with and are linked together with Christ in His resurrection. Therefore, His life becomes our life. Not only that, but the Lord gives us a brand-new type of life—eternal life. (Rom 6:23) Eternal life is our present possession! That is almost too much for us to comprehend.

This is a precious and priceless gift, and we have reason to rejoice and thank the Lord!

A Permanent Covenant

A covenant is a relationship between two parties who make binding promises to each other and work together to reach their common goal.

We are currently living in “New Covenant” times. This covenant defines a new relationship between God and man mediated by Jesus Christ and based upon a sincere declaration that one believes in Jesus Christ as Lord, God, and Savior.

Today, we are meditating upon this covenant that believers have with the Lord.

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (Isa 54:10 NIV)

Neither God’s love—nor His covenant of peace—will be shaken or upset. Glory to God!

Pay attention to me, come to me; and listen, so that you may live; then I’ll make an everlasting covenant with you, as promised by my faithful, sure love for David. (Isa 55:3 ISV)

As our title today tells us, we have an everlasting covenant with the Lord. It will not end.

I will not break my agreement nor change what I have said. (Ps 89:34 NCV)

God is stating clearly that He will never break His Word or change His promises to us. We can rely upon His stability and His dependability. Thus, our faith may rest upon a flawless foundation. Hallelujah!

God Fulfills His Word: BELIEVE IT!

It’s essential for every follower of Jesus Christ to know without a doubt that God fulfills His Word. The Bible states this truth in many different ways, and in many different passages of Scripture. Let’s just look at a few.Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass. (Josh 21:45 NKJV)Notice that the above Bible verse states, “ALL came to pass.” This is significant—don’t undervalue it.The Lord then said, “You are right, for I’m watching over my word until it is fulfilled.” (Jer 1:12 CEB)This Scripture describes God as “watching over His Word” to make sure that it occurs exactly as He said that it would. It gives us a picture of God not allowing anything to escape His notice or His attention. He is guaranteeing that His own Word comes to pass.The Lord has done what He determined; He has accomplished His word . . . (Lam 2:17a NASB)I like this Scripture in the New American Standard Bible. It is very clear and cannot be misunderstood! God accomplished His Word. End of story. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Lk 2:20 NIV, underscoring added)Note that everything that the shepherds heard and saw happened JUST AS THEY HAD BEEN TOLD! This fulfills another Bible verse:. . . in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began . . . (Tit 1:2 NKJV, emphasis added)We are simply called as BELIEVERS, to accept God’s Word as true, reliable, and trustworthy. The Bible clearly says that God cannot lie. Meditate upon this and stir up your faith, and your life, by radically believing God’s Word! God bless you.

Don’t Make Yourself God’s Enemy

As believers in Jesus Christ, we have chosen to follow Christ above all things, especially above the world. Jesus taught that we cannot be loved by this world because we are not truly a part of it.

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be loyal to the one and have contempt for the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. (Mt 6:24 CEB)

The Bible reminds us that we can’t serve two different masters. So we must make a clear and firm choice about our allegiance.

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, the world therefore hates you. (Joh 15:19 MEV)

The world hates Christians because Jesus chose us out of the world, and we chose Jesus. We have put Jesus first above all other relationships, alliances, and commitments.

Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (Jam 4:4 NKJV)

Friendship with the world equals hostility toward God and the Word of God. Many in the world malign and ridicule believers, and all those who value the Bible.

Stop loving the world and the things that are in the world. If anyone persists in loving the world, the Father’s love is not in him. ¹⁶For everything that is in the world—the desire for fleshly gratification, the desire for possessions, and worldly arrogance—is not from the Father but is from the world. (1 Joh 2:15-16 ISV)

Everything—EVERYTHING—that is in the world [ambition, avariciousness, passions, arrogance] is connected with this world’s way of doing things; and does not connect to a love of God the Father.

As we continue to choose to follow Jesus and to obey God’s Word, we would do well to seek God’s face and ask Him for continuing grace to live a holy life. We know that God hears and answers our prayers, so we may pray with confidence and assurance. God bless you.

Hidden with Christ in God

How are we “hidden with Christ in God”? Let’s explore this thought.

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. (Col 3:3-4 NKJV)

As believers in and followers of Jesus Christ, we have been set free from the law of sin and death. (Rom 8:2) We are set free from the power of sin. (Rom 6:7) Since we are ‘dead’ to sin—or spiritually separated from it through salvation in Jesus—our lives are encompassed or contained in Jesus Christ.

All of this simply means that we are in union with Jesus, our Savior. We are one with Him.

On that day [when that time comes] you will know for yourselves that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. (Joh 14:20 AMP)

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. (Gal 2:20 ESV)

As you can see from the two verses shown above, it is clear that we are forever in union with Jesus, and securely enfolded by our loving heavenly Father.

After a little while, the world no longer is going to see Me, but you are going to see Me; because I live, you also will live. (Joh 14:19 NASB)

Being in union with Christ means that the past, present, and future aspects of our life are now and forever tied up and remain in union with Christ, and it began at the Cross when we died with Him. The condition of our lives may appear to contradict this truth, when difficulties rain down upon us, but no matter what life throws at us our union with Christ is 100% secure.

(Source: https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/colossians-3-3)

All of this reassures us to realize that we are safe and secure in Jesus. He is our rock, our fortress, deliverer, strength, shield and our stronghold. (Ps 18:2) May God bless your day!

We Shall NOT Lack

The Scriptures tell us that we shall not be in need nor have a shortage of daily provisions. In fact, the Bible says that we who seek the Lord won’t lack ANY GOOD thing. Wow! What a precious and powerful promise that is.

The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. (Ps 34:10 NKJV, emphasis added)

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give favor and glory, for no good thing will He withhold from the one who walks uprightly. (Ps 84:11 MEV, emphasis added)

The verse above goes on to say that NO GOOD THING will the Lord deny from those who walk uprightly. Hallelujah! This applies to believers because we are justified through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Jesus is our righteousness. (Jer 23:6) Also, spending time reading and meditating upon God’s Word cleanses each one of us daily. This means that we may claim this verse for ourselves.

. . . for His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. (2 Pet 1:3 NASB)

This passage in second Peter, above, is very clear that the Lord has already given to us everything that we would ever need for a righteous and holy life through our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Rom 8:32 NIV)

This is a resounding declaration by the Holy Spirit that every believer who has accepted Jesus as their Savior and Lord has been FREELY given ALL THINGS. This is a mighty promise from God the Father to every believer. Believe it and stand upon it.

Rejoice in God’s promises and blessing to you, and worship Him with thanksgiving. You are blessed.

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Tag: believers