March 7th 2021
During This Season Take Time To Be Holy Because Jesus Has Made It Possible!
John 14:7-9 (NIV)
If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." Jesus answered: "Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
The eternal inter-relationship of the Persons of the Godhead is beyond human comprehension in its fullness, and the terms “Son” and “begotten” are the best human language can do to describe it. Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, is the only begotten, eternally generated, Son of the Father, forever shining forth as the image of the otherwise invisible God. Jesus was trying to explain this situation to His disciples, and at least, Philip did not comprehend what Jesus was saying. Thus, he asked Jesus to show them the Father to which, Jesus responded, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” Jesus was both a man and yet He was also God!
During this season of Lent we are again trying to understand that Jesus came into this world as the Messiah to offer salvation to all who would believe He is who He says He is! This is only possible if Jesus is the God/man so His sacrifice could be a Perfect sacrifice, because that is God’s plan. Some worldly churches have become confused and modified God’s plan with mankind’s ideas, which ends up with Jesus coming as either an angel, what Jehovah’s Witnesses believe, or as a son of god, which is what the Mormons believe. Unfortunately, some members of churches that claim to be Christian have come to believe that God created Jesus and had him come as the needed sacrifice. This would NOT allow for the needed perfect sacrifice, as the sacrifice MUST be perfect!
John tried to clarify the fact that Jesus was not created by God the Father, as Jesus was the Creator! In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4). As John wrote, “without him nothing was made that has been made.” He was never created, for He was the creator! He is the eternal Word, because “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” It must be true that Jesus came to this earth to show us all what God the Father looks like from a human perspective. No-one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known. (John 1:18). Jesus “has made him (God the Father) known.”
Paul wrote about how Jesus came into this sin filled world to be “the firstborn over all creation.” He had to be born of a woman who was impregnated by the Holy Spirt not by a member of mankind, thus he was born without the sinful nature, which is passed on from Adam’s sin. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (Colossians 1:15-18). The phrase “the firstborn over all creation” could be translated as “being brought to birth before creation!”
During this Lenten season we often think of things to give up of maybe bad habits we need to take control of, or we may give up something, or foods we especially like that we stop eating during this season. Maybe another opinion may be for us to start a good habit! Yes, habits can be either good or bad! A good habit to start could be to arrange your free time, if you have any, and spend more time in prayer. When Jesus walked this earth as a member of mankind, He often went off by himself and prayed to God the Father, who is in heaven.
So, what did Jesus tell His disciples, and us, about praying? Jesus said, "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:5-8). Jesus gave these instructions just before He taught His disciples the Lord’s Prayer.
Jesus the God/man came to this earth as a man to offer the ONLY Way for mankind to be given a plan of salvation. To accept His offer of salvation we must enter a new Way of living each new day. We must be crucified with Christ and thus be born again into a new world, which allows us to see earthly situations differently. Paul wrote for us the inspiration he received from Jesus Christ. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" (Galatians 2:20-21). Have you died for Jesus Christ yet? We must all die for Christ, so we can live anew with Him, while yet walking this earth as a member of mankind.
Your salvation started when you died with Jesus and were then born again! Therefore, you have been rescued from the second death, and saved from going to hell, when you leave this mortal lifetime. So, that is what having a Savior has given you, now! You now have the Holy Spirit available to you every day for the rest of your mortal life. Heaven awaits you, because of what Jesus did for you, he paid the price of your entrance into heaven.
We may certainly be confused by this wonderful gift Jesus has given YOU (us)! We like Thomas may be apprehensive about knowing the Way to heaven. Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:5-7). During this Lenten season, believe it and dwell upon the wonderful reality of your free gift of salvation, because Jesus wants to be your Friend!
During this season take time to be holy because Jesus has made it possible! Take time to pray since you know Jesus is waiting to hear from you! What a friend we have in Jesus! Even more than a friend, He is our brother!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
John 14:7-9 (NIV)
If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." Jesus answered: "Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
The eternal inter-relationship of the Persons of the Godhead is beyond human comprehension in its fullness, and the terms “Son” and “begotten” are the best human language can do to describe it. Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, is the only begotten, eternally generated, Son of the Father, forever shining forth as the image of the otherwise invisible God. Jesus was trying to explain this situation to His disciples, and at least, Philip did not comprehend what Jesus was saying. Thus, he asked Jesus to show them the Father to which, Jesus responded, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” Jesus was both a man and yet He was also God!
During this season of Lent we are again trying to understand that Jesus came into this world as the Messiah to offer salvation to all who would believe He is who He says He is! This is only possible if Jesus is the God/man so His sacrifice could be a Perfect sacrifice, because that is God’s plan. Some worldly churches have become confused and modified God’s plan with mankind’s ideas, which ends up with Jesus coming as either an angel, what Jehovah’s Witnesses believe, or as a son of god, which is what the Mormons believe. Unfortunately, some members of churches that claim to be Christian have come to believe that God created Jesus and had him come as the needed sacrifice. This would NOT allow for the needed perfect sacrifice, as the sacrifice MUST be perfect!
John tried to clarify the fact that Jesus was not created by God the Father, as Jesus was the Creator! In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4). As John wrote, “without him nothing was made that has been made.” He was never created, for He was the creator! He is the eternal Word, because “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” It must be true that Jesus came to this earth to show us all what God the Father looks like from a human perspective. No-one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known. (John 1:18). Jesus “has made him (God the Father) known.”
Paul wrote about how Jesus came into this sin filled world to be “the firstborn over all creation.” He had to be born of a woman who was impregnated by the Holy Spirt not by a member of mankind, thus he was born without the sinful nature, which is passed on from Adam’s sin. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (Colossians 1:15-18). The phrase “the firstborn over all creation” could be translated as “being brought to birth before creation!”
During this Lenten season we often think of things to give up of maybe bad habits we need to take control of, or we may give up something, or foods we especially like that we stop eating during this season. Maybe another opinion may be for us to start a good habit! Yes, habits can be either good or bad! A good habit to start could be to arrange your free time, if you have any, and spend more time in prayer. When Jesus walked this earth as a member of mankind, He often went off by himself and prayed to God the Father, who is in heaven.
So, what did Jesus tell His disciples, and us, about praying? Jesus said, "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:5-8). Jesus gave these instructions just before He taught His disciples the Lord’s Prayer.
Jesus the God/man came to this earth as a man to offer the ONLY Way for mankind to be given a plan of salvation. To accept His offer of salvation we must enter a new Way of living each new day. We must be crucified with Christ and thus be born again into a new world, which allows us to see earthly situations differently. Paul wrote for us the inspiration he received from Jesus Christ. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" (Galatians 2:20-21). Have you died for Jesus Christ yet? We must all die for Christ, so we can live anew with Him, while yet walking this earth as a member of mankind.
Your salvation started when you died with Jesus and were then born again! Therefore, you have been rescued from the second death, and saved from going to hell, when you leave this mortal lifetime. So, that is what having a Savior has given you, now! You now have the Holy Spirit available to you every day for the rest of your mortal life. Heaven awaits you, because of what Jesus did for you, he paid the price of your entrance into heaven.
We may certainly be confused by this wonderful gift Jesus has given YOU (us)! We like Thomas may be apprehensive about knowing the Way to heaven. Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:5-7). During this Lenten season, believe it and dwell upon the wonderful reality of your free gift of salvation, because Jesus wants to be your Friend!
During this season take time to be holy because Jesus has made it possible! Take time to pray since you know Jesus is waiting to hear from you! What a friend we have in Jesus! Even more than a friend, He is our brother!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak