salvation

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Where There’s a Will

Where there’s a will there’s a way. These were the first words that entered my conscious mind this morning as I was just waking up. I then thought of two recent instances when I was told that something could not be done. I was determined to get it done. I found a way and I got them done.

Following these thoughts I began to think about God and His will.

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. Mark 1:40-42, KJV

Jesus Christ is perfect theology – He is the will of God. ~ Bill Johnson

Healing is so much God’s will that He made a way through the scourging and death of His own Son. Jesus paid the full price to make a way for healing, for all.

…By His wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24, Amp

Following this another scripture came to mind.

This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity-the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. 1 Timothy 2:3-6, NLT

God wants all men saved, so much so that He sent His Son to shed His own blood to pay the price for the sin that held us bound. It’s His will, but He won’t force His will on us. We have a choice. We can say no, but even then He ‘had’ to make a way. Why, because He loves you and me.

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. John 3:16, Amp

But He was wounded for our transgressions,  He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

What has God promised you through His Word? What has God said is His will for your life? Where there’s a will there’s a way is not always true for us as men, but when God wills something He makes a way.

With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. ~ Jesus

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I Come To You in His Name

In less than a week I leave with a team from our church to serve the people of Guatemala. As I pray over and think about this trip, one phrase keeps coming to mind. “I come to you in the Name of the Lord.” Each time I hear this phrase so many thoughts flood my mind. Here are just a few.

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. (Proverbs 18:10, NKJV)

God’s name is a place of protection… (Proverbs 18:10, MSG)

We are going in safety and peace, because we are going in the Name of the Lord.

Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediatlely his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked… walking, leaping, and praising God. (Acts 3:6-8, NJKV)

…His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong… (Acts 3:16, NKJV)

“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name…they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.” (Mark 16:17,18)

We are going with His healing power, because we are going in the Name of the Lord.

Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel…” (1 Samuel 17:45, NKJV)

We are going with His victory and deliverance, because we are going in the Name of the Lord.

For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13, NKJV)

We are going with His saving power, because we are going in the Name of the Lord.

…God is love. (1 John 4:8, KJV)

Jesus was moved with compassion. (Matt 9:36; Matt 14:14; Mark 1:41; Mark 6:34)

We are going in love. We will be moved with compassion towards the people of Guatemala and meet their needs through His supernatural power and provision, because we are going IN the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11, NLT)

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Willing

And behold, a leper came up to Him and, prostrating himself, worshiped Him, saying, Lord, if You are willing, You are able to cleanse me by curing me. And He reached out His hand and touched him, saying, I am willing; be cleansed by being cured. And instantly his leprosy was cured and cleansed. (Matthew 8:2-3, Amplified)

Then Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, I have pity and sympathy and am deeply moved for the crowd, because they have been with Me now three days and they have nothing [at all left] to eat; and I am not willing to send them away hungry, lest they faint or become exhausted on the way. (Matthew 15:32, Amplified)

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. (Luke 22:41-43, KJV)

Willing = wishing, longing, desiring (from Rick Renner’s Sparkling Gems from the Greek)

Jesus was willing and able to heal. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

He had compassion and was not willing to send the people away hungry. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

God was not willing that you or I should perish. He was not willing for that cup to pass from Jesus’ hand, because of you and me.

Jesus struggled under the pressure of what lay before Him… torture, crucifixion, death on that cross, separation from God. Not My will but Your’s be done. He was willing to do it for the Father and for the joy that was set before Him, you and me set free and born again. He’s the same yesterday, today and forever.

He is a willing God. Willing to love you. Willing to bless you. Willing to heal you. Willing to save you. Not willing that you should perish or come to destruction, but have everlasting life. He is willing.

And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and said unto him, I am willing… (Mark 1:41, KJV & Amplified)

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A Father’s Dreams

As I sat in my prayer chair this morning I looked over at one of my Christmas decorations. It is a velvet Christmas stocking with a large cross stitched on it. The stark contrast suddenly struck me. As we celebrate His birth, there before me was a reminder of His death.

I think of new parents as they look upon their newborn child, the hopes, the dreams, the plans they have for their child. God looked upon His newborn Son and knew the plan for His life included His death on a cross.

Jesus, God’s Son, would die for our sins by being tortured, abused, and finally nailed to a cross. And God knew this as He looked upon a baby in a manger… His Son, Jesus.

And the angel answered and said unto her , The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35, KJV)

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7, KJV)

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6, KJV)

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5, KJV)

“…it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” (John 11:50, NIV)

…after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified. (Matthew 27:26, NASB)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son… (John 3:16, KJV)

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Rescued

I like reading different translations of the Bible. While they may all be saying the same thing, one word in a particular translation can cause a well-known scripture to come alive in my heart. One word can ignite a train of thoughts that always lead to how much He loves me.

This morning I couldn’t sleep. I got up and started reading in my New Living Translation Bible. This one word captured my heart. This one word sparked my imagination. This one word reminded me of how much He loves me. That one word, is the word rescued.

He [the Lord] reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. (Psalm 18:16, NLT)

…you have rescued me from death and forgiven all my sins. (Isaiah 38:17, NLT)

…And he became their Savior. In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them… (Isaiah 63:8-9, NLT)

…he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. (Colossians 1:13, NLT)

But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued. (Daniel 12:1, NLT)

He redeemed me. He saved me. He personally rescued me.

I think about firefighters running into burning buildings to rescue people from the flames. I remember watching the scenes from New York on September 11th. The firefighters running into what looked like a living hell, knowing it may cost them their lives. And it did.

Our Savior, Jesus, went willingly into the hands of Roman soldiers to be tortured so that we might be healed (Isaiah 53:5, 1 Peter 2:24). Our King went willingly upon that cross to shed His blood for our sins. He went running into hell itself to rescue you and me. Oh, how He loves you. Oh, how He loves me.

This morning I think of what my life was before He rescued me. I think about what my life may have been had I not received Him as Savior. I think of the eternal hell He rescued me from.

The last scripture listed above, Daniel 12:1, speaks of a day that is coming. A day when men will need rescuing and only God can rescue them. Let us freely give, what we have freely received, the Good News of His Salvation. Let us introduce others to the One Who rescued us… the Only One that can rescue them.

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For You

I heard a testimony today where a father was speaking about a time when he found out his daughter was diagnosed with cancer. The Lord said to him, “If you as… [her] earthly father could take her place you would.” The father responded, “Absolutely.” God then said to this earthly father, “You can’t. I can. And I did.” *

I was reminded of this scripture.

But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us. (Romans 5:8, Amplified)

He died for us. That one little three letter word seems so powerful today. He died for us.

When’s the last time you looked that word up in the dictionary. It’s a little word we might be tempted to read over. We’ve heard it. We’ve seen it. We know what it means. But have you thought about it lately.

Here are some definitions from my American Dictionary of the English Language by Noah Webster 1828.

For: in the place of; as a substitute; instead of.

He died for us. He died in our place. He died as our substitute. As a well-known Christian song says, “I should have been crucified. I should have suffered and died.” But He died instead of you and me.

…it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people… (Johm 11:50, KJV)

…it is expedient and better for your own welfare that one man should die on behalf of the people… (John 11:50, Amplified)

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. (1 Peter 3:18, KJV)

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5, KJV)

He took it all upon Himself for us. On our behalf. So we wouldn’t have to. Our sins, our sicknesses. (1 Peter 2:24, Psalm 103:3)

That three letter word has other meanings too.

For: in favor of; on the part or side of; towards or inclined to. (Webster’s 1828)

What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?] (Romans 8:31, Amplified)

You need no further proof that God is for you than the fact that He sent His Son to die for you. Selah.

One last definition for this amazing little word.

For: because. (Webster’s 1828)

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross… (Hebrews 11:2, KJV)

He is for you. He did what He did for you. He died for you. Selah.

(* The testimony quoted above is an actual testimony of healing taken from the healing resource “Healing & Wellness: Your 10-Day Spiritual Action Plan” by Kenneth & Gloria Copeland)

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He Did It For Me

As I sat this morning with the elements of communion one phrase kept coming to my heart, “You did it for me.” As I handled the bread, the symbol of His body, I thought about the stripes, the wounds on His back. His body was broken so my body could be whole. He did it for me.

As I looked into the cup that represents His shed blood, I thought about the  blood running from the wounds on His head from the crown of thorns. I thought about the blood pouring from the wounds on His back. I thought of the blood running from the wounds in His hands and His feet where He was pierced by the nails that held Him to the cross in my place. He did it for me.

He was made sick that I might be healed. He was made poor so that I might be rich. He was made sin that I might be made the righteousness of God in Christ. He died so that I might live. He was broken so that I might be made whole. The chastisement of my peace was upon Him so that I could have nothing missing and nothing broken in my life. He was separated from God and went to hell, so that I could be reconciled to God and go to heaven. He did it for me.

And He did it for you.

…the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as oft as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26, KJV)

For God so loved me, that He gave His only begotten Son… He did it for me. And He did it for you. Selah, take the time today to think about that.

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Invitation Accepted

Our team held a small Bible study in a women’s federal prison yesterday. As part of the study the LORD had me read to them my last three posts “Making Time”, “Enjoy the Ride” and “Invitations”. At the end of the study I asked the ladies that wanted to surrender all to Him, to please raise their hands to Him. Every lady responded immediately, without any hesitation. There were many tears and smiles. Some were rededicating their lives to Him. Some were committing to a deeper walk with Him. And one was accepting His invitation for the first time. She accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior! To God be the Glory!