December 14th 2025
Follow Jesus Then “Look Up In Trust, Look Back In Gratitude, And Look Forward In Hope!”
Galatians 4:4-5 (NIV)
But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.
When we read a comment that starts with the word BUT, we know there was something that occurred before this statement. In the case of these selected verses, everything that had occurred since the creation of this world for mankind to live on had already happened! It has always caused me to wonder, why did God wait so long before bringing the Son of man AKA the Son of God into this cursed world? God told Isaiah what kind of sign we should be looking for. Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14). A one and only sign was given this virgin birth of a human being!
However, this sign will only entice other people to believe this sign is truly given by God. Many people do not believe it, just because they choose to believe the Bible is just another book written by some men. Other people follow some other human being who started a worldly religion. Peter wrote about the facts supporting the belief that this Jesus was in fact the Savior of this cursed world. We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eye-witnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. (2 Peter 1:16-18).
Peter is trying to convince non-believers to study their Bible with the assurance that God has supplied people who witnessed miraculous signs causing them to desire to write about what they had personally witnessed! John wrote about what Jesus taught His disciples about salvation, and how this salvation is only available to mankind by belief in Jesus Christ. When Jesus was teaching about the reality that heaven does exist, and how humans can go there when we die. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6). Most important here is that Jesus is the only Way for human being’s immortal souls to end up in heaven.
Jesus told Martha about her and her brother who had died four days ago that they will end up in heaven because they believed He is their personal Savior. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25). Note here the emphasis Jesus puts on us believing Him being the Way, as He says, “whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Then Jesus asked her, and us, “Do you believe this?" How have you answered Jesus’ question?
Jesus has promised to have the Holy Spirit indwell all those who come to believe and try to follow Him in their everyday life. Jesus has promised to allow His followers to remain in an eternal soulful connection to Him. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15:5,8). As disciples of Jesus Christ, we can work on becoming more Christ-like through our direct connection with the Holy Spirit.
When you became a believer and follower of Jesus Christ you also became a member of the family of God! Jesus has compared believers to sheep as we need Him and thus will respond to His voice, as sheep respond to the shepherd who lived with their sheep in the time of Jesus walking this earth as the Son of man. Jesus said, I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:14-15). As you can see from this comment believers are included in the family of Jesus/God!
Our faith is not based on worldly possessions or on what blessing we may have received in this cursed world. The writer of Hebrews tried to describe the hope believers may have about what the future offers beyond our life in this world. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. (Hebrews 11:1,3). This world/universe was created by God for a place for mankind to live, and before sin entered it, it was heaven.
Peter wrote about the hope believers have and how we should tell others about our hope being based on restoration of this place we call heaven, and we know we are going there! However, we should not take pride in the knowledge and belief that we are going there, as our ticket to go there is supplied by what Jesus Christ did to atone for all our sins committed in this lifetime. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:15-16).
Prase God for sending Jesus into this cursed world to offer you salvation, as you cannot gain a place in heaven by your own goodness. On your own lifestyle in this world, when you die without believing in Jesus Christ your immortal soul will end up in hell!
As a follower of Jesus Christ, then just trust and obey for there is no other Way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey! Follow Jesus then “Look up in trust, look back in gratitude, and look forward in hope!”
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Galatians 4:4-5 (NIV)
But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.
When we read a comment that starts with the word BUT, we know there was something that occurred before this statement. In the case of these selected verses, everything that had occurred since the creation of this world for mankind to live on had already happened! It has always caused me to wonder, why did God wait so long before bringing the Son of man AKA the Son of God into this cursed world? God told Isaiah what kind of sign we should be looking for. Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14). A one and only sign was given this virgin birth of a human being!
However, this sign will only entice other people to believe this sign is truly given by God. Many people do not believe it, just because they choose to believe the Bible is just another book written by some men. Other people follow some other human being who started a worldly religion. Peter wrote about the facts supporting the belief that this Jesus was in fact the Savior of this cursed world. We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eye-witnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. (2 Peter 1:16-18).
Peter is trying to convince non-believers to study their Bible with the assurance that God has supplied people who witnessed miraculous signs causing them to desire to write about what they had personally witnessed! John wrote about what Jesus taught His disciples about salvation, and how this salvation is only available to mankind by belief in Jesus Christ. When Jesus was teaching about the reality that heaven does exist, and how humans can go there when we die. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6). Most important here is that Jesus is the only Way for human being’s immortal souls to end up in heaven.
Jesus told Martha about her and her brother who had died four days ago that they will end up in heaven because they believed He is their personal Savior. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25). Note here the emphasis Jesus puts on us believing Him being the Way, as He says, “whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Then Jesus asked her, and us, “Do you believe this?" How have you answered Jesus’ question?
Jesus has promised to have the Holy Spirit indwell all those who come to believe and try to follow Him in their everyday life. Jesus has promised to allow His followers to remain in an eternal soulful connection to Him. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15:5,8). As disciples of Jesus Christ, we can work on becoming more Christ-like through our direct connection with the Holy Spirit.
When you became a believer and follower of Jesus Christ you also became a member of the family of God! Jesus has compared believers to sheep as we need Him and thus will respond to His voice, as sheep respond to the shepherd who lived with their sheep in the time of Jesus walking this earth as the Son of man. Jesus said, I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:14-15). As you can see from this comment believers are included in the family of Jesus/God!
Our faith is not based on worldly possessions or on what blessing we may have received in this cursed world. The writer of Hebrews tried to describe the hope believers may have about what the future offers beyond our life in this world. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. (Hebrews 11:1,3). This world/universe was created by God for a place for mankind to live, and before sin entered it, it was heaven.
Peter wrote about the hope believers have and how we should tell others about our hope being based on restoration of this place we call heaven, and we know we are going there! However, we should not take pride in the knowledge and belief that we are going there, as our ticket to go there is supplied by what Jesus Christ did to atone for all our sins committed in this lifetime. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:15-16).
Prase God for sending Jesus into this cursed world to offer you salvation, as you cannot gain a place in heaven by your own goodness. On your own lifestyle in this world, when you die without believing in Jesus Christ your immortal soul will end up in hell!
As a follower of Jesus Christ, then just trust and obey for there is no other Way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey! Follow Jesus then “Look up in trust, look back in gratitude, and look forward in hope!”
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak