Tag Archives: Keep your eyes on the prize–JESUS!

Take Heart??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #349

23 Friday May 2025

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, A Form of godliness?, A Witness--Good or Bad???, Jesus is able, Jesus IS Lord--bow before Him!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Is Truth, Jesus IS Truth!!!, Jesus Never Fails, Jesus Saves!, Jesus' Sacrifice, Jesus--our all in all, Jesus-Wonderful Counselor, Take Up YOUR Cross, Teaching Always, We NEED an altar!

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Take Heart???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #349

Just a word of encouragement for this Friday, for The One who gave HIS all—for our salvation; and not only for our earthly life to have peace, hope and joy, but to remember that even when the trials seem to overwhelm our way, that our Lord, Saviour and King walked this same life and said this was the norm for those who choose to follow Him.  But take heart, as I’m often heard to say, remember, We Win!

“Behold,

the hour cometh,

yea, is now come,

that ye shall be scattered,

every man to his own,

and shall leave me alone:

and yet I am not alone,

because the Father is with me.

33 These things I have spoken unto you,

that in me ye might have peace.

In the world ye shall have tribulation:

but be of good cheer;

I have overcome the world.”  John 16:32-33

One of the best ways to walk in victory is to know The Victor (Jesus) better and better through reading and studying HIS Word!  It saddens my heart that we are so easily distracted from the things of our God, for we can so easily be led astray by that which is trying to replace God, His Word, and the love of His Son!  (and that can be other than ‘bad’ things but can be ‘good’ things that are trying to replace Jesus and His Word.)  We must determine to be wise, discerning and committed to measure all things in this life by God’s Word, not man’s opinions!  And that is almost impossible without knowing God’s Word well, and following its directives, even (if not especially) when the cost is suffering or persecution.  May we follow our Lord rather than the world!  Peter gives us an amazing word of encouragement—may we heed it and press on!

“Honour all men.

Love the brotherhood.

Fear God.

Honour the king.

 

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear;

not only to the good and gentle,

but also to the froward.

19 For this is thankworthy,

if a man for conscience toward God

endure grief,

suffering wrongfully.

20 For what glory is it,

if, when ye be buffeted for your faults,

ye shall take it patiently?

but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it,

ye take it patiently,

this is acceptable with God.

21 For even hereunto were ye called:

because Christ also suffered for us,

leaving us an example,

that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who

did no sin,

neither was guile found in his mouth:

23 Who,

when he was reviled,

reviled not again;

when he suffered,

he threatened not;

but committed himself to him

that judgeth righteously:

24 Who his own self

bare our sins in his own body on the tree,

that we,

being dead to sins,

should live unto righteousness

by whose stripes ye were healed.

25 For ye were as sheep going astray;

but are now returned

unto the Shepherd

and Bishop of your souls.”  1 Peter 2:17-25

Jesus has delivered those who come to Him in repentance of sin, and faith in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for that (and all) sin.  And not to stir it up, but when Peter says that we are healed by Jesus’ stripes, he is referring to our healing from our disease of sin (see Isaiah 53 and see the picture of this statement), as he goes on to refer to our returning to our creator!

I pray that you will find hope and encouragement to follow the love and example that our Lord Jesus gave to us when He walked that awful road to Calvary for you and me!  May we walk the road He places before us in faith, truth and righteousness!  Remember it is His sacrifice that saves and keeps us!  May you be blessed as you pursue Jesus, His Word and His way before a lost and dying world in need of a Savior—may we be faithful examples of His truth, power and love.

“If we say that we have fellowship with him,

and walk in darkness,

we lie, and do not the truth:

7 But if we walk in the light,

as he is in the light,

we have fellowship one with another,

and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son

cleanseth us from all sin.

 8 If we say that we have no sin,

we deceive ourselves,

and the truth is not in us.”  1 John 1:6-9

Amen and Amen!!!

The Old And The New??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #308

27 Friday Dec 2024

Posted by in 'Come unto me, Diligence, Discernment, Discipline, God's got you and me!, God's grace is sufficient...always!, God's Time, God's ways are not our ways, Godly Character, Godly Instruction, Godly Parenting, Godly Wisdom, Holiness, Holy Living, Honor Or Dishonor?, Jesus--our all in all

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The Old And The New???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #308

As we close out 2024 and prepare to start a new year of 2025, there are a lot of things to consider; many take this time to reassess their goals, progress, financial practices, parenting skills, and in the craziness of our world, often just trying to “get by”!  But I’d like to take a bit of a turn here and call us to examine our walk with Jesus Christ The Lord.  If you know Him, then it’s a call to pursue holiness as we align our walk with the Word of God.  If you don’t know Him, I invite you to come to know Him in repentance of your sin, and trusting/believing in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice on the cross of Calvary.  If you’re not familiar with Jesus, I would direct you to read the Gospel of John in the Bible.

Let’s look at the message to struggling believers in the book of Hebrews; the author calls them to study the faith of others in chapter 11 (often called the hall of faith), but he doesn’t stop there.  He goes on to call them to holy living, and that is what I want us to consider as we approach this new year.  (I encourage you to read through chapters 11 -13 for the big picture, for I’ll only share portions of those chapters in this limited space…)

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about

with so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside every weight,

and the sin which doth so easily beset us,

and let us run with patience

the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus

the author and finisher of our faith;

who for the joy that was set before him

endured the cross,

despising the shame,

and is set down at the right hand

of the throne of God.

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction

of sinners against himself,

lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood,

striving against sin.

5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation

which speaketh unto you as unto children,

My son, despise not thou

the chastening of the Lord,

nor faint

when thou art rebuked of him:”  Hebrews 12:1-5

Our challenge continues with an even greater call to obedience and the truth that God disciplines His own.  Discipline is an important part of child-raising—a part which many in our day have abandoned and we are paying an awfully high price for that choice.  But spiritual lack of discipline can be just as tragic, and the absence of it in a person’s life is a call to question one’s relationship with Jesus.  Let’s peruse what the scripture says.

“For whom the Lord loveth

he chasteneth,

and scourgeth

every son

whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening,

God dealeth with you as with sons;

for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement,

whereof all are partakers,

then are ye bastards,

and not sons.

9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh

which corrected us,

and we gave them reverence:

shall we not much rather be in subjection

unto the Father of spirits,

and live?

10 For they verily for a few days

chastened us after their own pleasure;

but he for our profit,

that we might be partakers of his holiness.

11 Now no chastening for the present

seemeth to be joyous,

but grievous:

nevertheless afterward

it yieldeth the peaceable fruit

of righteousness

unto them which are exercised thereby.

12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down,

and the feeble knees;”  Hebrews 12:6-12

While I encourage you to ponder these things, I choose to end on a positive note, even as the author of Hebrews chose to do.  Remember whose you are, fix your eyes on the prize, Jesus, and run the race, knowing you are never alone!

“Let your conversation be without covetousness;

and be content with such things as ye have:

for he hath said,

I will never leave thee,

nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say,

The Lord is my helper,

and I will not fear what man

shall do unto me…

8 Jesus Christ

the same yesterday,

and to day,

and for ever.” Portions of Hebrews 13:5-

May the blessings of peace, joy, and contentment rule in the closing of the present year and follow you into the new year!

Amen and Amen!!!