Have you forgotten? I know some people have, actually a lot of people.
Why do we forget? Why do we forget something so powerful, so beautiful?
I feel like so many people either take the Gospel for granted or they underestimate it. Why?
Have we forgotten the freedom and the power in knowing Jesus? We say we believe Him, we say we trust in Him, but do our actions match up?
Why are we living in fear?
Why are we living in sin?
Why are we living in pain?
Why are we letting the world bog us down when we have Jesus to lift us up?
Jesus didn't die so we can stay the same, He died so that we may be changed, that we may be free.
So often we make His suffering on the cross a joke, we don't appreciate the gravity of the situation.
Jesus died, He DIED! He died so we could be free, He died so we can find and know real joy, that we may have hope and true life.
So often we live as if that's just a story in the Bible, or some nice sounding concept or idea.
But it's not just some story and it's not just some concept or thing that happened.
It's truth! It's power! It's beautiful!
We get upset when we feel like God isn't listening to us, or that we're stuck in some dismaying predicament. We expect God to act yet we have zero faith in Him! Where has our faith gone? Where did our trust disappear to? How can we be so double minded?
Friends, fellow followers of Jesus, do you REALLY believe what Jesus says? Do you REALLY trust in His promises? In His truth? In His steadfast love? In His unchanging ways?
Or are you underestimating who He says He is? Are you doubting the God who created you, who knows you better than you know yourself, the God that would die for you, even while you hated Him?
Please don't forget. Please don't forget the power that comes through Jesus when knowing Him.
If you're stuck in sin, through Jesus you can get out! You can have the strength to overcome! (1 Corinthians 10:13)
If you're trapped by fear, through Jesus you can get out! Jesus is our Perfect Love and He can take away that fear and replace it with power, love and discipline.(2 Timothy 1:7)
If you're overwhelmed with guilt, and you feel you cannot be made new - you are wrong! Jesus died so the old self could be done away with and that we could live in the freedom of that.(2 Corinthians 5:17)
If you're confused, sad, hurting, even if your heart is broken, Jesus is the answer. (Romans 8:28, Psalm 34:18, Psalm 55:22, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
Jesus suffered all things, He suffered through ALL things! He took our place, He took all the weight of the world upon His shoulders. He is victorious! Oh! How greatly I desire for you to know and understand this truth, Jesus is alive. Jesus is working! He is not dead, He was not just active in the Bible, but He is today.
O Christian, why so little faith?
He can do incredible things, He still does incredible things! But you need to trust Him.
If you just trusted Him, what could He do with you? Where could you go? What could He use you for?
I refuse to believe that my God is weak, that He is dead, or that He cannot work through tough situations. Come on people! It's God we're talking about! Don't water down the power of God. Who would want a God who was weak, who couldn't save us, anyway? Surely not I. Could He even be called God then?
I've tasted the goodness of my Lord, and I know that He is faithful, that He is incomparable.
I'm never going back to "ok", I've had enough of having little faith, and a doubting mind.
I am going to take the "risk" and really believe and trust in the words of God! I am going to know that God can take any situation in my life, any problem, any uncertainty or pain, and use it for something glorious. Rise up Christians, and have faith in the God that died for you, that is still working and alive today!
He is the God that protected Noah in the flood, the same God that parted the Red Sea. He is the same God who enabled David to defeat Goliath, and protected Daniel in the lion's den. Yeah! That's the God I want to believe in, trust in, have faith in and know! Not a weak, wavering, God like we make Him out to be. So what is God to you? All powerful, sovereign, righteous and holy? I sure hope so.
By the way, Happy Easter!
Christ is risen... He conquered the grave... He is my King. Is He yours?
Let me just underscore something here.
ReplyDeleteIf you look back to the old testament, people looked to the coming of Christ as something that would end our world as we know it and that judgment would come upon those the despised God. Well, God, in his own will, decided that instead of passing judgment on his people like he did in the time of Noah or Sodom and Gomorrah, he decided to put judgment on his son.
Jesus did more than just die. True it was a sacrifice that cleansed our sin, but it was also the fact that God was putting his final judgment on his own son. That was something that those who even wrote the bible didn't really foresee. The wonderful thing about it is that Christ left us with a promise. That was that he wouldn't stop working. He is saving his celebration for that final day so that we may rest in his assurance. That was the purpose of his sacrifice. It was so that we may rest in him, not just because he died, but because he promised more than just power over sin. That is seen in his resurrection. Jesus rose from the dead to demonstrate his power over death and the fact that he is the very one responsible for the surprise, the source, and the shape of repentance.
Some people argue that we really shouldn't be alive is Jesus was truly the one carrying out the will of God. That is completely true if we assumed that there was no such thing as a new covenant. So why the surprise?
Well once again, people expected Christ to defeat the enemy. That's why there are still Jews today. What Christ actually did was give repentance to those that sent him to the cross. That's a very unnatural form of warfare... but that it the whole point, it was spiritual.
Why is Jesus the source? Because he is the representative of Israel. God even put us under his name when he says "here is man." So essentially, being that he takes on the title of man, he receives the punishment for man, and therefore is the source of redemption; being that he interceded.
What is the Shape of repentance? You know, the Jews are right, we shouldn't even be here. The fact that we are says something about God. Not only did he give us time, but he also gave us himself. One word: Grace. We live because of it, because Jesus took on the cross. Happy Easter
Okay, first thing first: I found it slightly funny how you wrote it like an essay with a good intro (including thesis, bonus points for you!) and then wrote your little body paragraphs, hahah. :P
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I have to say it probably took me about 5 or 6 times to completely understand what you were saying, but I'm pretty sure I get it now!
And finally, thanks for the comment, it was good. :) I've learned that the Gospel goes far beyond just the point of salvation. Studying the Gospel can really be encouraging and provide a lot of wisdom/knowledge about God, like your example of grace. Good stuff! It just keeps getting better!
yes indeed. I think that there are many parallels to be drawn. That was just one of many. That barely even scratches the surface though. There is always more, just like you said. ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Rachel! I always love the passion a rawness of your blog. :)
ReplyDeletePS It's a very good rawness. Haha.
"Very good rawness", hahaha wow, thanks Kim. :) That made me laugh a bit.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoy my blog! I get a good bit of joy with having the desire to write about such things... and I'm so glad that God has enabled me to write what I do and be a big light in a little way for Him. Soli Deo Gloria!