Tag: humanity

God’s Perfect Love Drives Out Fear

God’s Perfect Love Drives Out Fear

When we understand and comprehend God’s perfect love for us, it drives out all fear.  Let’s see what the Bible has to teach us.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  (1 Joh 4:18 NIV) 

The perfect love that we receive from God is unending, unfailing, and persevering.  Glory to God!

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  (2 Tim 1:7 NKJV)

The spirit of fear is not from God but comes from not being able to trust God completely and comprehensively.  God has given us the Holy Spirit as well as the fruit of the spirit which includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  (see Gal 5:22-23)  The Holy Spirit is the spirit of power.  (See Acts 1:8)

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”  (Rom 8:15 NIV)

The spirit whom we received when we accepted Christ as our Savior is the Holy Spirit.  (See Acts 2:38; Eph 1:13; Rom 8:16)  Once we accepted Christ as our Savior, we became children of God.

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.  (1 Joh 4:12 NIV)

The Bible verse above reminds us that no one has ever seen God in His complete, divine revelation.  Even Moses only saw the back of the Lord in Exodus 33:18-23.  However, as we believers imitate the love of God for mankind, we demonstrate God’s love to humanity. 

The perfect love of God—which has forgiven and cleansed us of all of our sins—drives out fear.  It drives out the fear of eternal punishment, as well as the fear of what other people think of us.  It drives out the fear of the unknown because we know that God holds us in the palm of His hand and has provided all that we need for life and godliness.  (2 Pet 1:3) As we believers experience God’s love inside of us, it empowers us to live for Him and to love others.  As we mature and grow in grace and walking in the love of God, we model the love, forgiveness, and mercy of God toward all with whom we interact.  Praise God!

We Know Love, Thanks to Jesus

We Know Love, Thanks to Jesus

The Scriptures teach us that humanity knows love and is acquainted with love because Jesus gave up His own life to reconcile us back to our Father God.

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.  (1 Joh 3:16 NKJV)

 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  (Rom 5:8 NIV)

 Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it . . . (Eph 5:25 NCV)

And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  (Eph 5:2 ESV)

All of these Bible passages refer to the fact that Jesus’ redeeming sacrifice was an ACT OF LOVE.  The Lord tells us through the Word that we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Husbands are admonished to love their wives even as Christ loved the Church and sacrificed Himself on behalf of the Church. Husbands should want to protect their wives and children even as the Lord did.

And we’re encouraged to follow the example of Christ, and to become (as He did) a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  This gives us a reason to examine ourselves and to ask ourselves if we are demonstrating our love in ways that are spiritually and relationally significant to our nearest and dearest.  God bless you as you allow the Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you in showing love to everyone in your life!

One Blood

There is no room for prejudice against other people due to the simple fact that we are all ONE BLOOD (one race) that have descended from Adam and Eve.  All tribes and nations are descended from the same parents.  Let’s look at the Scriptures.

The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.  (Gen 3:20, emphasis added)

These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.  (Gen 9:19, underscoring added)

And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth . . .  (Ac 17:26a, emphasis added)

Discrimination and bigotry based upon skin color, eye shape, hair types, or any other exterior trait is ridiculous and unjust.  Over the centuries and decades since the Lord created the heavens and the earth, changes have occurred in humanity.  However, they are just that:  exterior. 

Blood types are the same the world over, as are the physical attributes of males and females.  Every nationality of people have the same internal organs and number of bones in their bodies.  We all need teeth to chew our food, tongues to communicate with each other, and arms and legs to get around and to do our work. 

The Father God needed to send only ONE Savior to earth to redeem all of mankind back to Himself!  Jesus is the Savior of every nation, tongue, and tribe on earth.  

One day, ALL of the redeemed from all over the earth will be gathered together to praise, honor, worship and to serve Him for all eternity.  Glory to God!

Made Alive

Made Alive

For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Cor 15:21-22)

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!  (Rom 5:15-17)

Because all humanity is descended from Adam, we are all going to experience death someday.  In a similar way, everyone who believes in Jesus Christ will one day be made alive.

What does that really mean to us? 

It means that we, upon accepting Jesus as our Savior, have been born into the family of God.  Having accepted Jesus as our Savior and keeping our relationship with Him alive throughout our lives means that:

  • We belong to Jesus;
  • We are His seed and offspring;
  • We serve Jesus because He is our covenant Head and Representative; and
  • We shall be raised [resurrected] to immortal life in and by Jesus Christ.

One day, we will have eternity to spend in the presence of our living God who is love.  We will eternally be surrounded by perfect, unfailing, unending Love.  This is a blessing of our salvation for which we may continuously praise and thank God!

God Knows You

God Knows You

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.  2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.  3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.  4 For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.  (Ps 139:1-4)

God has explored and examined humanity.  He knows each one of us better than we know ourselves. 

According to the Bible verses above, God knows where we’re going; what our plans are; when we will sleep; and all about our individual personalities.  He even knows what each one of us is about to say!  Wow!

Jesus is our Savior and Intercessor.  He intercedes and even pleads for us before the throne of God continuously.  (Rom 8:34; 1 Tim 2:5) 

Jesus always lives to make intercession for us.  (Heb 7:25)

He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.  (Rom 8:27-28 MSG)

Everything that we do out of love for God and in serving God, He has promised He will work out for our good.  Glory to His name.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”  (Joh 15:5)

In the above Scripture, we’re reminded that as the vine and branches are one entity, even so we’re united with Jesus Christ into a unique, spiritual entity.  Since we are united with Christ, we also have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor 2:16) We can know His will and plans for us.

Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.  (1 Cor 12:27)  Even though we are members or individual parts of the body of Christ, we are still unique and individual.  God uses every matchless part of His body to minister in distinct and irreplaceable ways. 

Rejoice in the truth that God knows you very well.

Peace! Be Still

Peace! Be Still

And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”  41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”  (Mk 4:37-41)

In this Scriptural account, you’ll notice three things.

  1. Jesus was asleep in the boat, having been tired from His previous ministry to the people. This exhibits Jesus’ humanity.
  2. Jesus’ followers awoke Him out of fear for their safety. Despite their fear, they called upon Him to save them.  Their response—calling upon Jesus—was the best thing for them to do.
  3. Jesus reproached their small amount of faith, but then performed a miracle in order to increase their faith.  This reveals His power and authority.

Jesus’ disciples knew enough about Jesus to expect Him to save them from this perilous situation, but not enough to understand His authority.  After Jesus rebuked the wind, they became fearful, and wondered at His identity.  How perplexing it is to me that they were fearful, rather than joyously thankful . . .

We have the benefit of not needing to wonder about Jesus!  We know that He is the Savior of the world. (Jo 4:42)  Helping power, in any crisis, is both present and active in Jesus.  He will bring peace and calm to our every situation when we cry out to Him for help.

Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.  (Mk 5:1)  This verse demonstrates that the boat arrived safety at its destination.

Jesus had authority over the elements of nature. He is King, not only of people, but over all of the forces of nature, as well.  This should strengthen our faith and confidence in Him and in His Word.  Trust Jesus to bring peace and calm to your circumstances.