abundant grace

1 Timothy 1:14 The grace of our Lord, however, was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

How can actually grace abound? How can there be so much grace from God for all those sinful people? Because abundance means that there is more than enough and if we look at ourselves and also look around us, we see a lot of sin. But there is enough grace for all those sins, the blood of Christ can already wash our sins so that they no longer exist. That is the work of Christ and from that grace we may live. And there's plenty! That does not mean we are in a hurry to sin away, a child of God does not want to do sin, but it does mean that our shortcomings are filled with his blood. There is enough!

These are the two most important aspects of grace, faith and love. But it is also the most difficult things when we do not know Christ. Because we live in disbelief and actually in lovelessness. We think only of ourselves and deny the existence of Christ as Savior. The ultimate love from Him, we do not believe in, and we do not hand out too. But God's grace has gripped us, as we have become satisfied with that, then we have an indestructible faith and an inexhaustible source of love. For he is, after all Love!

In Christ we can find grace and it's enough to live on. It is enough here on earth to live, but also to forever live on. He has again made it right with God, He has taken away the curse of sin and He calls you and me to believe Him and love. We may give the love of Him in this dark world. It's Halloween time and as a counterpart to this dark festival, there is the festival of Light! Then we can celebrate again in a little while. But today is a special day, on this day we remember the people that Luther has rendered the word of God. It has been translated and explained to the people. Grace is not for sale if God wants something from us, but the grace of His Son is enough for all our sins.

So let's let our light shine in this world. We must tell others of His grace, faith and love, of hope in glorious future! And if you read this and do not partake of His grace, you can also open your heart and receive His grace! Believe in Him and let you carry by his love because God loves you and does not want you lost.

Amazing grace!

Peace in Christ

John 16:33 These things have I spoken unto you, that you may have peace in me. In the world you will have tribulation, but have good courage: I have conquered the world.

Jesus speaks these words after He has spoken of the Holy Ghost, of His Father and of Himself. About the reason of His coming and what Jesus and the Spirit do on earth. Jesus did not speak in parables, but in plain language without imagery. And the disciples ask him, why did you speak this now?

Jesus has spoken this so that we may have peace in him. Peace, not peace like it is in a war that both encamp peace, but in the middle of a war a sense of security. The protective arms of Jesus feel about us and know that He takes care of us. That's the peace of God: He takes care of us He guides us through the dark valley and through the troubles here on earth and He loves us. We can know that peace through the Lord Jesus.

For in the world we shall have tribulation, says Jesus. Perhaps you think so: what an exaggeration. The Christians in China, who suffer tribulation and in Africa, are prosecuted. In Islamic countries, tribulation is only and where others believe is the greatest. Partly, that's right, but do not we avoid tribulation? In China they go to church on Sunday, no one knows. And what do we do in the west? We just do not go to church, that is not necessary. Thus we avoid tribulation. And what about our work? Do we do anything for the boss or the money? Even when it comes to the Bible? Are we strict enough for ourselves when it comes to television and the internet or are we all in?

Tribulation goes far, very far. And we must stand strong and not dodge tribulation by contributing everywhere by giving to all temptations and not wanting to be different from the world. For Christ has overcome the world and Satan is defeated. Death has been destroyed because Jesus has risen. That makes us free! Free from this world and free from sin. Then, in our life, we can celebrate the celebration of victory together with Jesus. That's life in his path and not living with the world.

Christ fulfills us with peace, He leads us by His hand. He protects us and knows us. Live with him, stand strong with him and live especially in his victory! He conquered the world in which we receive so much resistance, but in Him we may stand strong and be different. Then we will experience His peace and our lives will be richer.

The Lion and the Lamb

Hebrews 9:12 He has not entered into the sanctuary once upon a time by the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, and has thereby brought forth eternal salvation.

It is a contradiction: the lion and the lamb. The lion is the king of animals, a leader in his area and receives respect from all other animals. On the other hand, the lamb, who is helpless without the shepherd, could not even survive. When we speak and read about Jesus, He is the Lion and the Lamb.

For as Lamb Jesus was led to slaughter. He let himself taken away, without struggle. He gave His own blood for the sins of the world. Before that moment, a goat had to be slaughtered for reconciliation with God. But now Jesus suffered as a lamb for slaughter. His blood ensures that you and I can be saved from eternal death. Just like the blood at the door post at the exodus, death did not enter there, so is it for God's children too. The blood of Jesus does not save you for earthly death, but for eternal death. Is it your rescue already?

But besides the Lamb, which carries away the sins of the world, Jesus is also the Lion. The Lion of Judah, risen with power from death. Who has conquered hell and defeated death. That lion that has ensured that there is eternal salvation for anyone who believes in Him. He is the King of the world, no one is stronger than Jesus. Even Satan trembles when he hears His name. He shattered the head of Satan and made Him powerless for His children.

Jesus also wants to be your Lamb and Lion. No, He does not depend on us to be that. He is too big for it, because he is the Son of God. But He wants to be for you, He loves you and gave His life. As Lamb He let him torture for you, hang on the cross, descend to hell and die himself. As a Lion, he came back from God's abandonment with the words: it has been accomplished, as a lion he has risen from the dead he now reigns with God his father.

What a lovely God we have, what a loving Son and the Spirit of the Son wants to work in us and show us on the Lamb and the Lion. He is both of them! Come on, we fall down in worship for that lovely Jesus. Your Name has been praised!

In wonder (2)

Exodus 14:22 And the people of Israel went in the midst of the sea in the dry place. The water was a wall for them on their right and left hand.

Have you ever seen a wall of water? No of course not. That does not exist. Water flows and is liquid, which cannot stand upright and also form a wall? Yet it happened when the people of Israel fled from Egypt and the people were sealed between the desert and the water while Pharaoh came behind them. A wonderful story in which God shows His powerful hand. He has all the power and can even make a wall of water.

God commanded Moses to stretch his staff over the water and break the sea. There was absolutely no doubt with God and therefore not with Moses. God knew that if Moses would extend his staff, that He would send the wind to dry it, and that He would put the water as a wall along the path. God has that power, He created everything and He can also make such an adjustment in His creation that it changes structure. As the water can stand upright like a wall, it is a little change for God.

That God stood and stands on the side of Israel. When they were in trouble, He did not let them down. They began to shame on Moses and to cry, because they were afraid of course. And yet God stood on their side, making sure that the Egyptians could not come closer and He helped them through the sea. But that God is also on our side, He is there for you and me too. Not because we are so good, not because our faith is so strong, but because He wants to be our God. When you believe in the Being Son as your Savior and Savior, this God that has driven the sea and made a path, is even your God!

Thus we may wonder about the power of our God! He can do everything and wants to give us everything. Not that it always goes as we would like, but with Him on your side there is always a path. For God also made paths in invisible things, in pain and sorrow, in psychological problems, in deprivation, in sins we cannot stop with, with all we can get into, God can make a way. And then he sets up walls that protect us.

Then focus on God, focus your life on Him, marvel at His omnipotence and make you fulfill by His greatness!

In wonder (1)

Genesis 1: 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

When you think of God, about who He is and what He has done, we will be short of words. Because God is always there, our understanding is over. We cannot understand that, but we do not have to understand that either. When we want that, we make the faith very difficult. Because then we want to understand and we cannot.

The Bible begins with: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. There was apparently no heaven yet and there was no earth. There was nothing at all. Maybe that's the black hole we hear so much about. The black hole from then there was nothing. For once God began, he went on. When He saw how good everything was, He made even more. And it was all good!

So the start was all good! God created the light when there was no sun and no moon. God later created the sun, moon and stars. And he just did that out of nothing. But there it did not stop. He made a difference between land and water. He made the flowers, trees and plants. He made the birds, fish and animals and of course, the crown of creation: man. And God saw that it was good.

Now take such a God into your mind and let him work on you. Without all that has happened after creation. When we look at God and so pure to that God who created everything, we can only admire and wonder. Because who can create an animal? Complete? Who designed life and developed everything so that the whole nature connects and needs each other?

Look at the details in nature: the water that always stays in a cycle. From sea water to clouds, to rain, to river and weather to sea. The water never gets up! But also to the human and animal body. Everything has been thought of: digestion, breathing, moving and even thinking. It is all in agreement. And in animals it is equally well-matched. And so there are many examples. And God created it! We do not even have to discuss a discussion because something like that cannot happen by accident.

Think of the Creator again! Does he get your and my worship? He is worth it and we can give our lives to Him and wonder about who He is and what He does. His great deeds are sometimes incomprehensible, but He is God!

I am of Christ

Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of your face you will eat bread, until you return to the ground because you came from it; Because dust is you and you will return to dust.

Who are you? There, biologists and scientists can talk for hours and many books have been written about it. Some smart people think we descend from the fish, others from the monkeys, and so there are different opinions. The Bible teaches us that we are dust and that we will return to dust again. Well say, what a negative word. Man does not mind anything at all, it's a bit dusty and when life's out, the weather turns into dust. Indeed, so is it.

You and I do not suggest anything, we can be very honest. Perhaps you are good at making a lot of money, good at your hobby or having a lot of knowledge of the Bible. Maybe you can sing well and become a star? Indeed, sometimes people can do a lot and sometimes seem a lot. But still there is that text: dust you are. For all we can have, we cannot stop death and we cannot give us salvation. It all stops when life is out of our way.

And that is precisely the wealth of a child of God! Who knows that he or she is dust and does not actually suggest anything. Who knows that he or she is only sinful and, as the Bible says, unable to do the good. But whoever believes in the Lord Jesus, who has everything in him! And then suddenly there is a powerful person, a living person, who will live forever. Then it will not stop when we return to dust. No, then the wonderful life begins with Him only.

Then it's wonderful that God wants such a person, who does not actually imagine and choose Him. That God opens His arms wide to embrace you and look at you through Jesus Christ. Then you are not suddenly a popular person or a great person, you are just a dependent person. Someone who expects everything from God and His Spirit. Then you may flourish and grow to his honor.

Jesus died but did not turn into dust. He is ascended and sitting on God's right hand to pray for us. He blows His Spirit on us and shares gifts to you and me. Use those gifts and live before Him! Let yourself flow through the Spirit, open yourself and you will see what gifts God has for you. Your dead I come to life through life with Christ and you may live by His mercy! Who am I? I am of Him, Jesus Christ!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBcqria2wmg

#castingcrowns

The love of Christ

1 Corinthians 15: 3 For I delivered you first what I received also, that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures.

Are coming with me to take a look at Golgotha? See, there's a man hanging on a cross. He hangs in between other men and sometimes speaks a few words. But it are powerful words, words of forgiveness, eternal salvation, a cry to God and a declaration of fulfillment of His great mission: die for the sins of men.

Jesus is widely used as a curse. He is often mocked and talked about Him as about a fairy tale. In the world, on Facebook, on television it does not matter what you look and read, but you see such a hate against him. But why that hate? Because if you have taken a look at Golgotha, you see that Christ who carries the whole world on his shoulders. He had to die as punishment for the sin of the people. Yes, there you can be blind, but He also wants to open your eyes. His love for people is infinitely deep, He even wanted to die for it.

We may worship Jesus because He has carried the punishment of God. You could not do it yourself, I could not even hang on a cross and think of others so what about die for others? But Jesus gave His life and that is the core of faith.

He gave Himself delivered to Satan and to death. He has come down to hell, out of pure love. There is absolutely no grammar of own interest, but He has given Him as a sacrifice. For your sins, without having to do anything for it. It does not have to happen yet, it has already been completed. You only have to believe it.

And when we can believe this, this lovely love of Jesus, we fall in worship!

Lord Jesus my Savior! You are exalted and your love is inexhaustible. You went to the cross for me and carried my sins. What a wonderful Savior you are. I praise you who you are, what you do and what you have done. No one loves me as much as you do. And by that I may love you, like no one else. You are perfect, holy, delicious, wonderful and loving. My Jesus, my Savior. Hallelujah!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8ZeONHBV5k
#castingcrowns