Heb 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Jesus is the rock when your life is shaky. He is the peaceful harbor when you are at your wit's end. He is your righteousness when the accuser hurls accusations at you. He is your mother when no one else cares for you. He is your father when you are destitute and helpless. He is your brother when no one else understands you. He is your sister when you have no one else to talk to. He is your friend when all others have forsaken you. He is your banker when you are down to your last dime. He is your motivator when you are tired of trying. He is your ambition when you see nothing worth striving for. He is your life when you don't feel like living. He is your strength when you can't even lift up your head. He is your joy in the midst of pain and agony. He is your protector when enemies surround you like a pack of wolves. He is your one and only hope in the face of disaster. He is your last chance when it looks like you don't have a chance. He is your priceless treasure when all else is gone. He is your deliverer in the midst of bondage. He is your bondsman when the prison doors slam in your face. He is your guide when you have lost your way. He is your peace when death comes to fasten itself upon your body. He is your healer when disease has paralyzed you in its' sickening grip. He is your bright light when the darkness of depression threatens to overwhelm you. He is the pill for all your hurts and wounds. He is the wine that makes you see a happy new reality. He is the drug that makes you love everybody. He is the high your mind and flesh have always sought for. He is the love your heart has always longed for. He is the supplier of everything you lack. He is your provider when poverty strikes the land. He is on your side even when you fight against his best for you. He is your sanity when fear grips your heart. He is the keeper of your soul when your faith is weak. He is good to you when you don't know what's good for you. He is your comfort when you're feeling trapped in your mortal body, and you feel constrained by space and time, and you can't seem to escape your own hopeless condition. He's your everything.
When your soul is overwhelmed and you've reached the end of your rope, then let go and his hands will catch you. Right when you think it's all over, with no help in sight, around the corner here comes Jesus. When it seems nothing is going right, he shows you a sign of his mercy. When you feel you can't wait any more for things to change, he makes the wait worthwhile. If there is any need known to man that he could not supply, then he would not be the God you have known him to be. Even when you see that all you need to do is lay your life at his feet, but you cannot seem to find the faith you need to trust him, that's when his grace is sufficient for you and he carries you on his shoulders until you find the faith you need. What? You worry? Not when he's promised to never leave or forsake you.
He'll come into your world. When you seem to be going in circles, Jesus will straighten you out. Sometimes you need a real Jesus, a living Jesus, a Jesus who can be in your world. If Jesus can't make it in your everyday world, what good is he? You can't live life with just a Sunday morning Jesus. You can't function in a crisis with just an emergency Jesus. You can't wait a lifetime just to find a deathbed Jesus. You need him now, and you need him all the time.
He'll come into your world. Sometimes the world drives you crazy. It's then you need Jesus in your world most of all. It's then you need more than a set of rules, or a bunch of beliefs written in a book somewhere. You need a God. You know, a real God. A God who's bigger than the world. A God who's more powerful than any force on earth. A God who's not intimidated by the forces of nature, the acts of men, or the powers of darkness. A God who is more than enough for each and every situation. That's who you need. Instead of pulling out your hair, ask Jesus to come and help you. What a relief it is to know he walks beside you! When you ask, he answers. You talk to him, he talks to you. You have a need, he provides it. You have a problem, he tells you how to solve it or he solves it for you. So here you are, still crazy after all these years. But you're crazy about Jesus.
You've seen him in your world. You wouldn't even be here, if it wasn't for Jesus being in your world. That's how you know Jesus is real. You've seen him bring you through the tests, the trials, the sins, the mistakes, the ups, the downs, the ins and the outs. And because Jesus is in your world, your world is a much better place today than it was yesterday. Tomorrow is going to be even better, because then you'll be twenty-four hours closer to being with Jesus in his world. Then Jesus is all you'll ever see in your world!
When your soul is overwhelmed and you've reached the end of your rope, then let go and his hands will catch you. Right when you think it's all over, with no help in sight, around the corner here comes Jesus. When it seems nothing is going right, he shows you a sign of his mercy. When you feel you can't wait any more for things to change, he makes the wait worthwhile. If there is any need known to man that he could not supply, then he would not be the God you have known him to be. Even when you see that all you need to do is lay your life at his feet, but you cannot seem to find the faith you need to trust him, that's when his grace is sufficient for you and he carries you on his shoulders until you find the faith you need. What? You worry? Not when he's promised to never leave or forsake you.
He'll come into your world. When you seem to be going in circles, Jesus will straighten you out. Sometimes you need a real Jesus, a living Jesus, a Jesus who can be in your world. If Jesus can't make it in your everyday world, what good is he? You can't live life with just a Sunday morning Jesus. You can't function in a crisis with just an emergency Jesus. You can't wait a lifetime just to find a deathbed Jesus. You need him now, and you need him all the time.
He'll come into your world. Sometimes the world drives you crazy. It's then you need Jesus in your world most of all. It's then you need more than a set of rules, or a bunch of beliefs written in a book somewhere. You need a God. You know, a real God. A God who's bigger than the world. A God who's more powerful than any force on earth. A God who's not intimidated by the forces of nature, the acts of men, or the powers of darkness. A God who is more than enough for each and every situation. That's who you need. Instead of pulling out your hair, ask Jesus to come and help you. What a relief it is to know he walks beside you! When you ask, he answers. You talk to him, he talks to you. You have a need, he provides it. You have a problem, he tells you how to solve it or he solves it for you. So here you are, still crazy after all these years. But you're crazy about Jesus.
You've seen him in your world. You wouldn't even be here, if it wasn't for Jesus being in your world. That's how you know Jesus is real. You've seen him bring you through the tests, the trials, the sins, the mistakes, the ups, the downs, the ins and the outs. And because Jesus is in your world, your world is a much better place today than it was yesterday. Tomorrow is going to be even better, because then you'll be twenty-four hours closer to being with Jesus in his world. Then Jesus is all you'll ever see in your world!
Heb 13:7
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
What better leader could we imitate than Jesus? What better outcome of life and faith could we imitate than he who never met a devil he couldn't cast out, who never met a sinner he couldn't love, who never met a challenge he couldn't face, who never met an illness he couldn't heal, and who never met a power he couldn't overcome, even the power of death, and whose way of life and faith was the same Monday through Sunday? If he was happy on Monday, he was happy on Tuesday. If he was healing on Friday, he was healing on Saturday. If he was saving a tax collector on Wednesday, he was saving a thief on Thursday. And he'll be doing the same things forever, until every soul is saved who can be saved, every sick person is healed who can be healed, and every bound person is delivered who can be delivered. And the only ones he can't save, heal, and deliver are those who don't want him to save, heal, and deliver them.
So live by faith, not your feelings. Reign in life as a king, for you are already seated in heavenly places with Christ. Look not at the material world, but look at the spiritual world. That's where you'll find your real place in life and the joy which never ends. You have no excuse for not rejoicing. You should be the happiest person on earth. Jesus loves you and made you in his image. He knew who you were, before the world was created. You were in his heart. So rejoice, as one so precious to him that he died for you, rose again for you, and ever lives to intercede for you, as your advocate before the Father.
For your Maker is your spouse, and he will give you a name better than any name a son or daughter could give you. He will make you joyful in his house of praise, and you shall go out with joy and be led forth in peace. For more are the children of the desolate, than of those who are married. The children of this world are married to this world, though they realize it not, and they and all their offspring shall be removed from the Kingdom, and shall never be remembered any more. But those of us who are his desolate Bride, who have been forsaken by the world and have forsaken the world, shall forever inherit the land, along with those we have helped win for his Kingdom. His righteousness is near and ready to be revealed, for his word shall not return void. He will fill the barren heart with gladness, and satisfy the broken in heart with his goodness. That's why it's so great to know Jesus.
What would life be like without Jesus? We'd be selfish slaves of our own lust, hate, wickedness, and perversion. We'd be on a self-destructive path to hell. We'd have no life, no love, no joy inside at all. How do the people of this world make it day by day without Jesus in their lives? By living like they're on their way to hell, that's how. The only way to really make it, is to trust in Jesus. Satan can't touch us now. We defeated satan; for in Christ it was we who crushed the evil principalities and powers of darkness, and in view of the whole creation, we triumphed over them, because we were in Christ when he did it. We were there. We were chosen in Christ before the world began. We were a part of him, when he defeated the devil. He had us planned in his mind, and his victory was our victory. His triumphant resurrection was our resurrection. When he sat down by the Father's side on a heavenly throne, we sat down with him. Don't try to understand this; just believe it because nothing is impossible with God. Believe it because this is what's written in God's holy book, and you'll get happy just thinking about how much he loves you.
Who can harm you? Who can touch you? What could alarm you? Aren't you glad you have all power and authority over satan? You can be used of God to destroy the works of the devil and his kingdom, not by your own might or power, but by the Spirit of God inside you, and the devil knows this too, and he's scared out of his wits. All those mountains the devil puts in your way, have to move and be removed. The devil runs when he sees you coming. He is on the run. His tail is between his legs, his skull is crushed, and he's running blind, shocked, scared, and helpless.
What God will do in the next few years will shock the world! For behold, he set in Zion a cornerstone, and he will work a wonderful work, a marvelous work, which you would not believe, even if it were told you. God can turn things around overnight, so you must get busy right now and tell the world what Jesus has done, before it's too late. Why do you doubt what he has done for you, and what he can accomplish through you? Samson was like no other figure in history. He was unique, because God had a specific job for him to do, precisely at that moment in history. Yes, an angel came and told his parents that he would be a special child, and indeed he was. But because an angel failed to announce your birth, doesn't mean you are any less special in God's sight. God gave Samson the gift of supernatural physical strength. Samson was no stronger by himself than any normal person. It was because God helped Samson that he was so strong. So what is your special calling? What can't you do by yourself, that God wants to do through you anyway? Don't ever limit the Holy One of Israel. If you do, you'll come up short of what he has for your life. Jesus can make you strong enough to do whatever he needs you to do.
No one was like Jesus either, and no one ever will be. Why? Because he was the Son of God. There is only one Man who was God, is God, and always shall be God, and that's Jesus. Samson had supernatural strength. Jesus had supernatural strength against sin; he never sinned. Samson killed a lion with his bare hands. Jesus defeated satan in hand to hand combat. Samson slew a thousand men with the jawbone of a donkey. Jesus has defeated the devil in the lives of millions by the words of his mouth. Samson tore down the gate of a city, and carried it on his back. Jesus tore down the gates of hell, and carried the sins of the whole world on his back. Samson brought down the temple of the idols, and killed all the leaders of the enemy's army. Jesus brought down the power of satan's kingdom, and rose triumphant over all the armies of darkness.
Guess what? Jesus didn't do all that as God. No sir. The Bible says he was made flesh, like us. He didn't walk and talk on the earth in his divine form. He didn't suddenly appear one day out of nowhere. He was born of a virgin, raised by a carpenter, and baptized by John in the Jordan River. Then the Holy Spirit came down upon him in the form of a dove, and immediately after that Jesus started performing miracles and raising the dead. How'd he do it? By the same power living inside every believer who accepts Christ as Lord. By the same power empowering people like you to live as children of God. Jesus had the Spirit without measure, because his Spirit was the same Spirit of the divine God he had always been, and his Spirit was pure, holy, and without sin. He was a vessel of flesh filled entirely with God, for in him the Godhead dwelled bodily.
So if Jesus, as the Son of Man could do all this, then why can't you find your place in God's Kingdom and do what no one else has ever done? Jesus himself said you would do greater works than he had done. This means he intends to equip you sufficiently with his Spirit to do his will. You have a better covenant than Samson had, and you have the Spirit of God living inside; the same Spirit who dwelt in Christ. What gift has God given you? What unique plan and design has he for your life? What can you do which no other person in history has ever done?
Samson had a foolish weapon to use against the enemy; the jawbone of a donkey. God has chosen foolish things to defeat the wisdom of men. The preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who believe, it is the power of God unto salvation. No matter how foolish or unimportant you might think your gift is, it can be used in God's hands to destroy the works of hell. The Lord Jesus has already brought down the pillars of death and hell, and he is your invincible leader who goes forth with you against the enemy. By his Spirit within you, take the battle to the enemy and go forth as a conqueror in the name of Jesus, doing the works he has sent you to do. With your faith in Jesus, nothing will be able to stop you.
Do not fear and doubt. Fear is a lie you believe, and it will hold you back. Doubt is a lie you believe, and it will get you nowhere. Do not whine and complain. You only whine and complain, because you hold onto some lame conception of the way you think life should be. Is it wise to go grumbling through life, because you think God ought to do things your way? Is that a smart way to live? Do not be downcast and depressed. God has wonderful things in store for you. The best is yet to come. Rather, be filled with the Spirit and give thanks. Be thankful, instead of complaining. Begin speaking to yourself. Think of a song to sing. Remember the words of a favorite hymn. Read a psalm out loud, so your ears can hear the good news. It shouldn't be difficult to be thankful, if you do these little things. It might get your mind off yourself. Then you will be glad, and the Spirit will fill the air around you, and you will know that the Lord is your refuge, and in him you will trust, and his presence will be with you continually.
Those who walked with Jesus while he was on earth, knew him personally, and he desires all his children to know him personally, even as a best friend. He wants to talk and walk with you, just as he did with his disciples. Together, they sang praises to the Father. Even on the night of his betrayal, Jesus led them in a hymn of praise. He kept his joy, his praise, and his peace unto the very end. Jesus realized that all he had, came forth and proceeded from the Father, and he knew that with the sacrifice of praise his Father was well pleased. So imitate Jesus. His yoke is easy and his burden is light. You'll find it's easier to be happy, than to be grumbling. Your soul will feel much lighter when you think on the good things, and push aside the negative thoughts.
God inhabits the praises of his people, because praise is equivalent to trust. God's Spirit is drawn to those who trust in him. God's Spirit fills those who are hungry to be close to him. Be humble in your own estimation. Simply trust and follow the words of the Lord. You'll never figure everything out, so stop trying. Learn to listen to the guidance of your inner man, where God dwells. He inhabits the temple of your spirit. So be tranquil, calm, peaceful, rested, strong, glad, joyful, rejoicing in high spirits, and full of praise, knowing he will deliver you, no matter what the circumstances. Have faith in God and keep giving thanks, even as Abraham gave praise to God and was strong in faith. This is how to walk in God's presence continually. This is how to imitate the life and faith of Jesus. Consider the outcome of such a life. Think about it. Imitate Jesus, and you too shall reap everlasting rewards.
So live by faith, not your feelings. Reign in life as a king, for you are already seated in heavenly places with Christ. Look not at the material world, but look at the spiritual world. That's where you'll find your real place in life and the joy which never ends. You have no excuse for not rejoicing. You should be the happiest person on earth. Jesus loves you and made you in his image. He knew who you were, before the world was created. You were in his heart. So rejoice, as one so precious to him that he died for you, rose again for you, and ever lives to intercede for you, as your advocate before the Father.
For your Maker is your spouse, and he will give you a name better than any name a son or daughter could give you. He will make you joyful in his house of praise, and you shall go out with joy and be led forth in peace. For more are the children of the desolate, than of those who are married. The children of this world are married to this world, though they realize it not, and they and all their offspring shall be removed from the Kingdom, and shall never be remembered any more. But those of us who are his desolate Bride, who have been forsaken by the world and have forsaken the world, shall forever inherit the land, along with those we have helped win for his Kingdom. His righteousness is near and ready to be revealed, for his word shall not return void. He will fill the barren heart with gladness, and satisfy the broken in heart with his goodness. That's why it's so great to know Jesus.
What would life be like without Jesus? We'd be selfish slaves of our own lust, hate, wickedness, and perversion. We'd be on a self-destructive path to hell. We'd have no life, no love, no joy inside at all. How do the people of this world make it day by day without Jesus in their lives? By living like they're on their way to hell, that's how. The only way to really make it, is to trust in Jesus. Satan can't touch us now. We defeated satan; for in Christ it was we who crushed the evil principalities and powers of darkness, and in view of the whole creation, we triumphed over them, because we were in Christ when he did it. We were there. We were chosen in Christ before the world began. We were a part of him, when he defeated the devil. He had us planned in his mind, and his victory was our victory. His triumphant resurrection was our resurrection. When he sat down by the Father's side on a heavenly throne, we sat down with him. Don't try to understand this; just believe it because nothing is impossible with God. Believe it because this is what's written in God's holy book, and you'll get happy just thinking about how much he loves you.
Who can harm you? Who can touch you? What could alarm you? Aren't you glad you have all power and authority over satan? You can be used of God to destroy the works of the devil and his kingdom, not by your own might or power, but by the Spirit of God inside you, and the devil knows this too, and he's scared out of his wits. All those mountains the devil puts in your way, have to move and be removed. The devil runs when he sees you coming. He is on the run. His tail is between his legs, his skull is crushed, and he's running blind, shocked, scared, and helpless.
What God will do in the next few years will shock the world! For behold, he set in Zion a cornerstone, and he will work a wonderful work, a marvelous work, which you would not believe, even if it were told you. God can turn things around overnight, so you must get busy right now and tell the world what Jesus has done, before it's too late. Why do you doubt what he has done for you, and what he can accomplish through you? Samson was like no other figure in history. He was unique, because God had a specific job for him to do, precisely at that moment in history. Yes, an angel came and told his parents that he would be a special child, and indeed he was. But because an angel failed to announce your birth, doesn't mean you are any less special in God's sight. God gave Samson the gift of supernatural physical strength. Samson was no stronger by himself than any normal person. It was because God helped Samson that he was so strong. So what is your special calling? What can't you do by yourself, that God wants to do through you anyway? Don't ever limit the Holy One of Israel. If you do, you'll come up short of what he has for your life. Jesus can make you strong enough to do whatever he needs you to do.
No one was like Jesus either, and no one ever will be. Why? Because he was the Son of God. There is only one Man who was God, is God, and always shall be God, and that's Jesus. Samson had supernatural strength. Jesus had supernatural strength against sin; he never sinned. Samson killed a lion with his bare hands. Jesus defeated satan in hand to hand combat. Samson slew a thousand men with the jawbone of a donkey. Jesus has defeated the devil in the lives of millions by the words of his mouth. Samson tore down the gate of a city, and carried it on his back. Jesus tore down the gates of hell, and carried the sins of the whole world on his back. Samson brought down the temple of the idols, and killed all the leaders of the enemy's army. Jesus brought down the power of satan's kingdom, and rose triumphant over all the armies of darkness.
Guess what? Jesus didn't do all that as God. No sir. The Bible says he was made flesh, like us. He didn't walk and talk on the earth in his divine form. He didn't suddenly appear one day out of nowhere. He was born of a virgin, raised by a carpenter, and baptized by John in the Jordan River. Then the Holy Spirit came down upon him in the form of a dove, and immediately after that Jesus started performing miracles and raising the dead. How'd he do it? By the same power living inside every believer who accepts Christ as Lord. By the same power empowering people like you to live as children of God. Jesus had the Spirit without measure, because his Spirit was the same Spirit of the divine God he had always been, and his Spirit was pure, holy, and without sin. He was a vessel of flesh filled entirely with God, for in him the Godhead dwelled bodily.
So if Jesus, as the Son of Man could do all this, then why can't you find your place in God's Kingdom and do what no one else has ever done? Jesus himself said you would do greater works than he had done. This means he intends to equip you sufficiently with his Spirit to do his will. You have a better covenant than Samson had, and you have the Spirit of God living inside; the same Spirit who dwelt in Christ. What gift has God given you? What unique plan and design has he for your life? What can you do which no other person in history has ever done?
Samson had a foolish weapon to use against the enemy; the jawbone of a donkey. God has chosen foolish things to defeat the wisdom of men. The preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who believe, it is the power of God unto salvation. No matter how foolish or unimportant you might think your gift is, it can be used in God's hands to destroy the works of hell. The Lord Jesus has already brought down the pillars of death and hell, and he is your invincible leader who goes forth with you against the enemy. By his Spirit within you, take the battle to the enemy and go forth as a conqueror in the name of Jesus, doing the works he has sent you to do. With your faith in Jesus, nothing will be able to stop you.
Do not fear and doubt. Fear is a lie you believe, and it will hold you back. Doubt is a lie you believe, and it will get you nowhere. Do not whine and complain. You only whine and complain, because you hold onto some lame conception of the way you think life should be. Is it wise to go grumbling through life, because you think God ought to do things your way? Is that a smart way to live? Do not be downcast and depressed. God has wonderful things in store for you. The best is yet to come. Rather, be filled with the Spirit and give thanks. Be thankful, instead of complaining. Begin speaking to yourself. Think of a song to sing. Remember the words of a favorite hymn. Read a psalm out loud, so your ears can hear the good news. It shouldn't be difficult to be thankful, if you do these little things. It might get your mind off yourself. Then you will be glad, and the Spirit will fill the air around you, and you will know that the Lord is your refuge, and in him you will trust, and his presence will be with you continually.
Those who walked with Jesus while he was on earth, knew him personally, and he desires all his children to know him personally, even as a best friend. He wants to talk and walk with you, just as he did with his disciples. Together, they sang praises to the Father. Even on the night of his betrayal, Jesus led them in a hymn of praise. He kept his joy, his praise, and his peace unto the very end. Jesus realized that all he had, came forth and proceeded from the Father, and he knew that with the sacrifice of praise his Father was well pleased. So imitate Jesus. His yoke is easy and his burden is light. You'll find it's easier to be happy, than to be grumbling. Your soul will feel much lighter when you think on the good things, and push aside the negative thoughts.
God inhabits the praises of his people, because praise is equivalent to trust. God's Spirit is drawn to those who trust in him. God's Spirit fills those who are hungry to be close to him. Be humble in your own estimation. Simply trust and follow the words of the Lord. You'll never figure everything out, so stop trying. Learn to listen to the guidance of your inner man, where God dwells. He inhabits the temple of your spirit. So be tranquil, calm, peaceful, rested, strong, glad, joyful, rejoicing in high spirits, and full of praise, knowing he will deliver you, no matter what the circumstances. Have faith in God and keep giving thanks, even as Abraham gave praise to God and was strong in faith. This is how to walk in God's presence continually. This is how to imitate the life and faith of Jesus. Consider the outcome of such a life. Think about it. Imitate Jesus, and you too shall reap everlasting rewards.
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