STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS

In a recent BFLYFORJESUS blog episode, I espoused my belief that Jesus is indeed the Son of God and that Jesus is a perfect example of what man can do when he commits himself to learning about God and following His precepts. 

When you get right down to it, our singular mission in life is simple: to be like Jesus. 

Why? Jesus, represents the pinnacle of what man can become when he gets in sync with God.

Think about it.

Jesus was not only GOD; He was also fully Man.  Like all humans, He was subject to human limitations.  And like all children, Jesus inherited the personality of his parents.  He possessed a divine nature of God, His Father and he possessed the human nature of Mary, his mother.  Jesus was in every respect, human, except that Jesus was without sin.

Jesus’ humanity is documented throughout the Bible.

Jesus grew up like all human children. 

See Luke 3:52 

So Jesus grew both tall and wise, and was loved by God and man.

Jesus became weary from time to time.

See John 4:4-6 

4 He had to go through Samaria on the way, 5-6 and around noon as he approached the village of Sychar, he came to Jacob’s Well, located on the parcel of ground Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jesus was tired from the long walk in the hot sun and sat wearily beside the well.

Jesus experienced sorrow and pain.

See Luke 22:41-42

41-42 He walked away, perhaps a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed this prayer: “Father, if you are willing, please take away this cup of horror from me. But I want your will, not mine.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him, 44 for he was in such agony of spirit that he broke into a sweat of blood, with great drops falling to the ground as he prayed more and more earnestly. 

Jesus responded as man does (with the Word of God not with supernatural power) when faced with temptation.
See Matt 4:1-11 

4 Then Jesus was led out into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, to be tempted there by Satan. 2 For forty days and forty nights he ate nothing and became very hungry. 3 Then Satan tempted him to get food by changing stones into loaves of bread.

“It will prove you are the Son of God,” he said.

4 But Jesus told him, “No! For the Scriptures tell us that bread won’t feed men’s souls: obedience to every word of God is what we need.”

5 Then Satan took him to Jerusalem to the roof of the Temple. 6 “Jump off,” he said, “and prove you are the Son of God; for the Scriptures declare, ‘God will send his angels to keep you from harm,’ . . . they will prevent you from smashing on the rocks below.”

7 Jesus retorted, “It also says not to put the Lord your God to a foolish test!”

8 Next Satan took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him the nations of the world and all their glory. 9 “I’ll give it all to you,” he said, “if you will only kneel and worship me.”

10 “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “The Scriptures say, ‘Worship only the Lord God. Obey only him.’”

11 Then Satan went away, and angels came and cared for Jesus.

JESUS indeed stands as the supreme example of what Christians can become when they tap into the power of the Holy Spirit and incorporate faith, prayer, and discipline into their daily life.  

Jesus is a Man as approachable and understanding as a High Priest.  He knows our struggles and is prepared to speak to God on our behalf.  All he asks is that we approach in grace and faith and love!  

See Hebrews 4:15

14 But Jesus the Son of God is our great High Priest who has gone to heaven itself to help us; therefore let us never stop trusting him. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses since he had the same temptations we do, though he never once gave way to them and sinned. 16 So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive his mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need.

Read the complete Hebrews 4 passage here.  It is profound!

Be encouraged, darlings,p/passage/?search=Hebrews%204&version=TLB

GOT WISDOM?

We know that we serve a powerful God who has devised a perfect plan for us: a plan to prosper us not to harm us.

Yet, many times, we stray from the perfect path. 

Why?

God’s will can seem tiresome, too difficult or not flashy enough. Or else our own hearts tempt us to wander. During these times, it is best to ask for WISDOM.

Wisdom can be defined as knowing God’s Plan for your life and having the courage and the strength NOT TO STRAY from the Plan despite temptations, trials and fatigue.

5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.  James 1: 5-8 NLT

Is there anything more difficult than waiting patiently for God to reveal His wisdom?

Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I am beyond impatient.  Before my car accident in December 2014, I believed that I could not be effective unless I was moving at warp speed.  At that time in my life, I believed that any motion was better than waiting. 

During my year of recovery, I spent time studying God’s word and His teaching.  It was at this time that He revealed a valuable precept.  Despite what the world teaches, there is SUPERNATURAL power in stillness.  This power is called the Holy Spirit.  And if you call on the Spirit, the Spirit will work in you to accomplish great things. 

It is BEST to seek Wisdom and stir up the Holy Spirit before you act.  

Think about it.  Isn’t a finely tuned instrument more effective than a rock?

God's will is clear, unchanging, perfect.  Why not get directions from the maker and creator of the universe before venturing out on your own?

But be prepared.  As you grow in GOD and as you learn about HIM, you will notice that the temptations and trials in your life begin to mount.  This is not your imagination.  The forces of darkness are real and they have a vested interest in knocking you off your course. 

Don't Worry!

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it."

1Corinthians 10:13

Stay on the Perfect Path, darling!  But know that this heroic feat cannot be accomplished alone. Seek to learn more about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit and you will be rewarded with WISDOM.  

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  Jeremiah 29:13

Simply ASK and God will reveal the secrets of life to you. The process is supernatural. It is barely perceptible.  Keep seeking, it will happen.  

He promised, darling!

DEATH: WHERE IS YOUR STING?

A few years ago, a very close friend asked me whether I truly believed that Jesus was the Son of God.  

Now, the question itself was not odd.  But, it was oddly timed.  We were not talking about spirituality or theology at the time the question was posed.  Rather, we were actually discussing career plans and the minutia of the day.

When my friend posed his query, I looked at him intently for a moment.  I wondered, seriously, if this was a test of some kind.  And then, after a beat, I answered as succinctly as I could.  

“Yes, I do believe Jesus is the Son of God.”   

I also believe that Jesus is a perfect example of what man can do when he commits himself to learning about God and following His precepts. 

Imagine the possibilities if we would get in sync with God and the Holy Spirit.  If we worked to become like Jesus, we would become super spirit filled heroes. We would be transformed from frail humans to miracle working paragons of faith.  We would be able to face death without fear.  We would be full of knowledge of God.  We would even die and be resurrected again.

Today, is Easter Sunday, the day in which we celebrate the resurrection of the Son of the Living God.  It is the day when the finality of death was forever erased.  

51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[h]

55 “Where, O death, is your victory?

    Where, O death, is your sting?”[i]

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.  1 Corinthians 55: 51-58 

When Jesus died, He became the ultimate sacrifice.  This sacrifice was needed to atone for the sins of the world.  It is because of His death that we can even approach the Holy God with our petitions and requests.  

Remember, the God in the Old Testament is the same God in the New Testament.  This means that God’s nature has not changed.  In the Old Testament, no one was allowed to approach near unto the place where God dwelt without being clean and making a blood sacrifice (an animal).  Today, thanks to Jesus, blood sacrifices are no longer required.  Now, we can approach God whenever we desire to do so - even when we have made a mistake.  Jesus’ sacrifice makes this possible! 

I am ever grateful to Jesus for His selfless act.  

Yes, Jesus is real.  He is the Son of God.  He is the Holy Lamb of God.  

Happy Easter, darlings.