February 23rd 2020
This Is Love: Not That We Loved God, But That He Loved Us And Sent His Son As An Atoning Sacrifice For Our Sins.
2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV)
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
Jesus came into this cursed world as a poor member of mankind. Born to poor people not into a rich family, as most people would believe God would have chosen for His Son! The message God was sending to all of mankind was making it plain that God’s blessing is always directed to those He created and that He desires our commitment to seeking Him, and devoting our lives to learning how to become more Jesus/God-like during our mortal lifetime. We are not to work on amassing earthly wealth, but instead to spending our mortal lifetime directed to obtaining heavenly knowledge through His love and giving God the glory. As John has written, God is Love! Are you working on becoming more Christ-like, “so that you through his poverty might become rich?” If you have been blessed with earthly wealth, enjoy it, but do not cling to it, you cannot take it with you when Jesus calls to come to Him in heaven!
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:9-11). In this world today we need this message to be heard and believed. Most of the messages we hear it seems are not expressed in a loving way. Our ruling groups not only disagree, but they try to separate us by taking opposite sides on every issue. Nothing ever seems have some agreeable point so that some members of the other party votes their agreement. Even our Christian churches do not agree even on the salvation plan. Yes, we all agree that our salvation only comes through Jesus, but some churches believe there are other obligations required before we are actually eligible for salvation. I will not go into these different human ideas here, because the different plans are cumbersome and difficult to explain. Please believe that Jesus is the only Way by which you must be saved, and work on trying to understand how to follow Jesus in your mortal lifetime!
Paul summed it up simply for us when he wrote, Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15). John also wrote the simplicity of Jesus purpose in taking on the form of mankind and coming into this cursed world. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16). It first states that “God so loved the world!” Did you get that about God’s love for this cursed world? And how God concludes with “whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” I do not see any indication here that followers need to do more than accept this gift of grace from God through the perfect sacrifice of His Son
When Jesus saw it important to get Saul’s attention, so that he (Paul) would stop trying to eradicate the Christian church from this cursed world, because Paul believed it was evil being used by Satan to take Jews away from the only real church. Here is that conversation as reported for us by Paul. "Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ "‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ (Acts 26:15-18). Jesus came into this world to save all of mankind from their lives of sin and following Satan to hell. Jesus is the ONLY answer to the question, “What must I do to be saved?” Following Jesus sets you on the narrow path that leads directly to heaven, when you leave this mortal life.
Jesus tried to make it very clear for all to understand that we are either with Jesus by becoming His follower, or we are against Him, and will never see heaven! He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. (Matthew 12:30). There is no middle of the road in the lifetime! Jesus told His disciples (us) about the narrow road or gate and how to find your path on it. So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:12-14). Jesus first tells us to follow the rules or commands given in the Old Testament and then to come and follow Him in this lifetime. Are you working on trying to stay on that narrow path by following Jesus?
It seems to me that it is becoming more difficult to identify yourself as a Christian in this world today! What do you think about this statement? Peter wrote about claiming and professing to be a Christian in his time on this cursed earth. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (1 Peter 4:16). Peter is likely recalling a time when he exclaimed, he did not know who Jesus was to save himself from harm or even death. Prayerfully, none of us reading this will ever be in such a jam. But, if you find yourself feeling it dangerous to profess being a Christian, what would you do? In these days of seeming violent groups assembling themselves to protest anything they do not agree with, it seems it could happen. Hopefully, this does not scare anyone reading this, it is not meant to do that. Be cautious about your actions if you encounter groups assembling to advertise their views in public places. Life is too short for us to throw caution to the wind, as an old saying states.
Luke shared a parable that Jesus once told, about a rich man who had accumulated huge earthly wealth, and he was in a way bragging about all his stuff. He was planning to build bigger storage areas so he could relax and live off his riches. However, this man had not spent any of his time working to obtain salvation through being rich toward God. Thus, this man was saying, “And I’ll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."’ "But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich towards God." (Luke 12:19-21). Are you working to earn heavenly riches by being a follower of Jesus? As a follower of Jesus, you (we) are commanded to tell how Jesus in our life has improved it, to everyone we meet!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV)
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
Jesus came into this cursed world as a poor member of mankind. Born to poor people not into a rich family, as most people would believe God would have chosen for His Son! The message God was sending to all of mankind was making it plain that God’s blessing is always directed to those He created and that He desires our commitment to seeking Him, and devoting our lives to learning how to become more Jesus/God-like during our mortal lifetime. We are not to work on amassing earthly wealth, but instead to spending our mortal lifetime directed to obtaining heavenly knowledge through His love and giving God the glory. As John has written, God is Love! Are you working on becoming more Christ-like, “so that you through his poverty might become rich?” If you have been blessed with earthly wealth, enjoy it, but do not cling to it, you cannot take it with you when Jesus calls to come to Him in heaven!
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:9-11). In this world today we need this message to be heard and believed. Most of the messages we hear it seems are not expressed in a loving way. Our ruling groups not only disagree, but they try to separate us by taking opposite sides on every issue. Nothing ever seems have some agreeable point so that some members of the other party votes their agreement. Even our Christian churches do not agree even on the salvation plan. Yes, we all agree that our salvation only comes through Jesus, but some churches believe there are other obligations required before we are actually eligible for salvation. I will not go into these different human ideas here, because the different plans are cumbersome and difficult to explain. Please believe that Jesus is the only Way by which you must be saved, and work on trying to understand how to follow Jesus in your mortal lifetime!
Paul summed it up simply for us when he wrote, Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15). John also wrote the simplicity of Jesus purpose in taking on the form of mankind and coming into this cursed world. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16). It first states that “God so loved the world!” Did you get that about God’s love for this cursed world? And how God concludes with “whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” I do not see any indication here that followers need to do more than accept this gift of grace from God through the perfect sacrifice of His Son
When Jesus saw it important to get Saul’s attention, so that he (Paul) would stop trying to eradicate the Christian church from this cursed world, because Paul believed it was evil being used by Satan to take Jews away from the only real church. Here is that conversation as reported for us by Paul. "Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ "‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ (Acts 26:15-18). Jesus came into this world to save all of mankind from their lives of sin and following Satan to hell. Jesus is the ONLY answer to the question, “What must I do to be saved?” Following Jesus sets you on the narrow path that leads directly to heaven, when you leave this mortal life.
Jesus tried to make it very clear for all to understand that we are either with Jesus by becoming His follower, or we are against Him, and will never see heaven! He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. (Matthew 12:30). There is no middle of the road in the lifetime! Jesus told His disciples (us) about the narrow road or gate and how to find your path on it. So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:12-14). Jesus first tells us to follow the rules or commands given in the Old Testament and then to come and follow Him in this lifetime. Are you working on trying to stay on that narrow path by following Jesus?
It seems to me that it is becoming more difficult to identify yourself as a Christian in this world today! What do you think about this statement? Peter wrote about claiming and professing to be a Christian in his time on this cursed earth. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (1 Peter 4:16). Peter is likely recalling a time when he exclaimed, he did not know who Jesus was to save himself from harm or even death. Prayerfully, none of us reading this will ever be in such a jam. But, if you find yourself feeling it dangerous to profess being a Christian, what would you do? In these days of seeming violent groups assembling themselves to protest anything they do not agree with, it seems it could happen. Hopefully, this does not scare anyone reading this, it is not meant to do that. Be cautious about your actions if you encounter groups assembling to advertise their views in public places. Life is too short for us to throw caution to the wind, as an old saying states.
Luke shared a parable that Jesus once told, about a rich man who had accumulated huge earthly wealth, and he was in a way bragging about all his stuff. He was planning to build bigger storage areas so he could relax and live off his riches. However, this man had not spent any of his time working to obtain salvation through being rich toward God. Thus, this man was saying, “And I’ll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."’ "But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich towards God." (Luke 12:19-21). Are you working to earn heavenly riches by being a follower of Jesus? As a follower of Jesus, you (we) are commanded to tell how Jesus in our life has improved it, to everyone we meet!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak