2019-03-22
Good Morning Dear Ones,
I have been commanded by the Holy Spirit to write about the remedies for control of our behavior by human desires given to us by the Lord. This is a continuation of supporting Scriptures to the book of Colossians. Joy, prayer, peace, and thankfulness: 1 THESS 5: 16-18, “Be joyful always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus.” PHIL 4: 4-6, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” These are the words of a loving Lord, One Who wants us to have inner peace and to be aware of the blessings He bestows on us. Unity: PS 133: 1-3 is a passage which reflects God’s desire for us to appreciate the importance of celebrating unity. “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mt. Zion. For there the Lord bestows His blessing, even life forevermore.” EPH 4: 3-5, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bone of peace. There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were called to one hope when you were called-one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, Who is over and through all and in all.”
Bearing fruit: JER 1: 4-5, “The word of the Lord came to me saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb. I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” EPH 2: 10, God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus He has created us for a life of good deeds, which He has already prepared for us to do.” Knowledge, understanding, and wisdom: PS 1:1-2, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law, he meditates day and night.” PR 9: 10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Inheritance: IS 7: 14, “Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son and will call Him Immanuel.” MT 5: 3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Light and darkness: PS 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” 1 JN 1: 5b, “God is light, and there is no darkness at all in Him.” God’s sacred name-Firstborn: EX 3: 14, “God said to Moses, ‘I am Who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.’” COL 1: 15, “Christ is the visible likeness of the invisible God. He is the Firstborn of all creation.” MK 10: 45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” AC 4: 12, “Salvation is found in no One else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Christ’s mystery unveiled: IS 53: 10, “The Lord says, ‘It was My will that He should suffer; His death was a sacrifice to bring forgiveness and so He will see His descendants; He will live a long life, and through Him My purpose will succeed.” 1 TIM 3: 16, “Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” God’s chosen King: PS 2: 7, “’I will announce’, says the king, ‘what the Lord has declared. He said to me: ‘You are My Son today. I have become Your Father.’” HE 1: 8, “About the Son, however, God said: ‘Your Kingdom, O God, will last forever and ever, You Rule over Your people with justice.’” Reconciliation with God: PS 103: 1-3, “Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases…” RO 5: 19, “For just as through the disobedience of the one man (Adam) the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the One Man (Jesus) the many will be made righteous.”
PRAYER: O Lord, our Father, we approach Your mighty throne today to acknowledge Your amazing love, grace, and generosity. We are undeserving and repentant of the sins we commit. You love us with a heart that does not place human-crafted conditions on that love. Every day, You take great pleasure in our willingness to take stock of the many blessings You bestow. We receive those blessings without forgetting to be thankful for them. We endeavor to obey Your teaching, to study Your word, to serve You with deliberation, and to convey Your word to those who have not yet heard it. Each of us has been given a specific skill set with which to serve You. It is our responsibility to discover that skill set and how to apply it to the tasks You give us. We know that we were born with human desires, ones that if allowed to lead our lives will lead to spiritual death for us. At the same time, we have the capacity to seek You out, to establish a relationship of reconciliation with You, and to bring knowledge of Your blessings to others. This lengthy segment of the “Knowing God” messages, called “Christ and Believers,” is all about that relationship with You. No other book than the Bible has the supernatural power that Your word does to effectively teach us Your way, engender hunger for it, or to bring blessings to our lives in the same way. We are humans with perspective limited when compared to Yours, with foibles and imperfections, and with such a need to come closer to You. That same profile also means we need to apply Your teaching to our relationships with other humans. We offer You praise and thanks for Your intervention and direction in our lives, for Your amazing attributes and actions, and for Your unconditional love directed to us. This we do, in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: I’m directed to continue writing next week about God’s many remedies for control of our lives by human desires. Again, Scriptures will be presented that support teaching found in the book of Colossians. What a “love letter” the word of God really is! My own life has been made so much better by what I’ve studied for the better part of 55 years. I’m a different person by far than I was when I first began studying it. I have joy, thankfulness, and inner peace that I never had growing up. When Christ made His entrance in my life, I didn’t realize how He would bless me. My feelings of worthlessness and negative ways of thinking were to be replaced with the outlook I have now. My life gained direction and unexpected orderliness it lacked before. Precious friendships were established and cemented by my Lord. The quality of my life totally changed for the better. I had been trapped in an unhappy marriage, one which ended in a divorce all those years ago when I was young. God brought my present husband of 42 years into my life. We have become elderly together, sharing many common interests and appreciating each other’s intelligence. Our happiness together continues, as we take joy in sharing our faith in Jesus Christ. Who could ask for anything more? It’s my hope that each of you enjoys similar blessings of faith and service to Him. Praise and thanks be to God!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn
JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2019. All Rights Reserved.
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