If you go to the New Testament, you’ll see clearly Jesus claimed frequently he was the divine son of God, sent from heaven to save us from our sins. “This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls”. This life he secured for us by laying down his own life. This is the moment of the transforming power of God entering one’s life and you will know it when it happens. The love relationship for which we are made is not an imaginary apparition that we chase in vain, nor is it simply an emotional byproduct of wishful thinking. But what are we really looking for?
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Paul relates to us again that love is the first fruit of the spirit, (Gal. 5:22). It exists whether or not you recognize or accept it. It is there even if you do not believe in it, hence the need for the Bible to remind us of it. But we also need to forgive people who have done wrong to us. It really is more blessed to give than to receive. In Matthew 25:40 Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me”. When love is set free within you, life takes on a whole new meaning. Interesting how being LGBT isn’t on that list, even though we know that same-sex relationships already existed.
More than that, they had been influenced through their study of the world around us. If you have a thirst and hunger for the Word of God, Jesus says, there’s going to be an increase of it in the days to come.
Like Thomas, it is harder for some people to believe today because they are cynical and skeptical in their basic approach to all of life. If, as Bible-believing Christians profess, the Scripture reports the words of God truthfully, then we are emphatically not responsible for the fatal consequences that follow from what those who failed to heed our warning decide to do. It has been one of the most rewarding things we have ever done. You may recall that Martha was upset that Mary was not helping with serving the guests when Jesus visited the house.
Why is this? As I talked with them, they said they had been influenced especially by three truths. Zealots were political revolutionaries who were determined to overthrow Roman control of Palestine, even employing violence if necessary. I’m not suggesting you abandon other goals, but what is your prize? None of those things are necessary to live a faithful life.
“Hallowed be thy name” means God’s name is holy and special.
Do not settle for mediocre and ho-hum Christianity. Let my enemies mount up against me as some mammoth Goliath that speaks ill of God and his son Jesus. Are you in doubt about whether or not He can love you? What Martha was doing wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t best. I John 1:8-10. The prayer recognizes that all that we need for life comes from God. We have boldness, as children of God, to cry out to him for safety, to have our needs met, for salvation, for spiritual help, in physical, emotional, and spiritual struggles we can call on God our father.
In the “Our Father”, Jesus teaches us not only to acknowledge God as our Father but to call him “Father”.
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As the world seems to be falling apart, as people are anxious and confused and triumphant in error, our wounds – mine, and yours, and ours, and His – may just be the starting point we’ve been bypassing for far too long.
