Jesus Knew the Scriptures - We Should Too!

     Yes, Jesus IS the very Word of God, so of course He would know the Scriptures but in wanting to be more like the Son in 2021, we too should know the Scriptures!

      Scriptures are good for us to know - they were written for our learning so we can develop patience, trust, and hope (Romans 15:4) and for our admonition (1 Corinthians 10:11). Note: admonition means 'to put in mind,' it envelops the idea 'to warn' and 'counsel people to choose God.'  

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable 

for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction

in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, 

thoroughly equipped for every good work."

(2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV)  

 

    In Ephesians 5, we are instructed to walk as children of light, finding out what is acceptable to the Lord (vv8,10) and to be wise, understanding what the will of the Lord is (vv15-17). At the time this epistle was written, the first century Christians in Ephesus (and everywhere else) would have needed to be like the noble Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11); they would have only had access to the Scriptures (what we now call the "Old Testament") and the letters written to their church (or nearby churches), to find out what was acceptable to God and to understand His will, so learning and knowing the Scriptures was vital for understanding and assurance!

 

    Today, I believe it is no different! Although we have the complete message of God in Bible-form, and as followers of Christ we have the New Testament for our guide to live right before God, we do ourselves a disservice if we keep ourselves from reading and learning the Old Testament. 

 

       I'm reading through the Old Testament right now, and yes, Genesis and Exodus are exciting and filled with grand narrative and yes, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy can feel tedious and possibly repetitious, but just when I was "knee-deep" in Leviticus and trying to justify my own desire to skip it (and the next two books that follow), I realized something small but significant from my reading: God required absolute holiness in any person who came near His presence and in any thing presented to Him. God does not change - so His requirements then are His requirements now - when 1 Peter 1:14-16 tells Christians to "be holy in all your conduct" and "be holy, for I am holy," we need to take that seriously, just as the Israelites needed to. If I had not taken the time to read the small, sometimes uninteresting 'in-between' information, I would not have been able to make this needful connection point.

 

    So, don't be content with only the major accounts that most learn as children (Creation, the Flood, Crossing the Red Sea, etc.), read the in-betweens, the leading-up-to's and the afterwards! Learn more about yourself when you see your own choices/attitudes reflected in the choices/attitudes of those ordinary people (just like you!) who fill the pages of the Scriptures! Heed the warning that flashes out from the accounts of disobedience. Come to better understand the prophets and the serious messages they were burdened with and the hope they had that the people would turn from their evil ways back to their loving God! Learn of God and His holiness, His consistency, and His unending love for His children!

 

     Be more like the Son in 2021 by reading. learning, and knowing the Scriptures!

You can do it! So can I!!

      

Jesus Determined to Be About His Father's Business, So Should We!

     Jesus, even at a young age, was determined to begin and do His Father's business (Luke 2:41-52). We, as God's children, should also be determined to do our Father's business!

"Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," 

shall enter the kingdom of heaven, 

but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." 

(Matthew 7:21 NKJV) 

     We need to appreciate God adopting us as His children (Ephesians 1:3-6), so much so that we joy in learning and doing His will (James 1:21-25, 1 Peter 2:1-3)! We need to value and respect God's word as His word (1 Thessalonians 2:13) and grow and develop as we obey the commands found within it (2 Peter 3:17-18).

 

    Jesus determined to fulfill His God-given purpose (Isaiah 7:14-15, 40:10-11, 53:1-12, Luke 19:10, John 3:16; 6:38) and He accomplished it (John 17:4, 19:30)!

 

    To be more like the Son in 2021, let's consider our God-given purpose and determine to fulfill it! 

 

    What is our purpose? Consider these purpose-filled verses:

  

    1) SEEK GOD!

Acts 17:26-27 “He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, thought He is not far from each one of us.”

     2) PROCLAIM HIS PRAISES!

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

     3) DO GOOD WORKS!

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

     We were created to seek God and find Him! God says to us, “Seek My face” and we begin to fulfill part of our purpose when our heart responds as David’s did: “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”(Psalm 27:8) Consider, also, the promise found in Hebrews 11:6, God will reward those who diligently seek Him!

    We are to tell others of God's love, generosity, and greatness! Read and reread Psalm 34:1-3 - "magnify the LORD" means to 'declare His greatness;' we need to fulfill our purpose by praising God and proclaiming His praises to others!! Turn to and consider Psalm 50:23 – praise glorifies God! Sounds a lot like what we read in Ephesians 1:3-14 – “to the praise of His glory!” God is worthy of all praise and those around us NEED to hear of His wondrous deeds (Psalm 78:4)!

     We are to do good works! God created us to do good works. When we do good works, those who observe us will glorify God (Matthew 5:13-16); they will attribute our kindnesses to God!! To Him be the glory!! God wants us to be ZEALOUS for good works – eagerly looking for ways to share His blessings with others (Galatians 6:6-10)! Good works meet urgent needs and are beneficial to others (1 Timothy 6:18) and that can cause some to grow weary, so that is why we are to look for ways to stir up one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24), so that we can all fulfill this part of our purpose! Still unconvinced? Turn to and read Titus 2 and 3, take note of how many times good works are mentioned in these two chapters!

     WE ALL HAVE THE SAME PURPOSE!! It is true that we all have different abilities/talents with which to fulfill our common purpose, and we are all in different areas of the world and have unique circles of influence to fulfill our purpose in, but we ALL have the same purpose to fulfill!! And not only can you fulfill your purpose, but I truly believe that you feel fulfilled too (consider Jesus' statement in John 4:34)!! 

    It is time to begin fulfilling your purpose - just as Jesus did! Seek God, proclaim His praises, and do good works!!

    Jesus did it, so you and I can do it, too!

 "If you know these things, 

blessed are you if you do them." 

(John 13:17, NKJV)

     

Jesus is the Son of God, We Can Be Children of God

    We, like the apostles, have come to believe and know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (John 6:69). It is through Jesus, through belief in His name, that He gives us the right (authority) to become children of God (John 1:12-13)!  

"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, 

that we should be called children of God! 

Therefore the world does not know us, 

because it did not know Him." 

(1 John 3:1 NKJV) 

 

    We can be more like the Son in 2021, by being children of God! We become children of God when we, through faith in Christ Jesus, are baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:26-29), becoming a member of His body (1 Corinthians 12:12-14), an heir of God through Him (Galatians 4:1-7)! 

    God sent the Holy Spirit, who gave God's message to the writers of what we now know as the Holy Bible (1 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Peter 1:16-21, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)! When we read the Bible we can learn of God and learn of His way (Ephesians 5:8-10, 15-17); the way He wants us to conduct ourselves, the way that Jesus exemplified for us in the New Testament! 

    We, who are in Christ (Christians) commit to do God's commands, we make His instructions our daily guide, and in so doing we are letting ourselves be led by the Spirit! The Holy Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:16-17)!! 

 

"Beloved, now we are children of God; 

and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be,

but we know that when He is revealed,

We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

And everyone who has this hope in Him

purifies Himself, just as He is pure."

(1 John 3:2-3 NKJV) 

 

    So, how do become more like the Son in 2021? How do we let the beauty of Jesus been seen in ourselves each and every day? 

 

    By joying in the fact that we have a Father who loved us enough to send His Son to die for us so that through faith and obedience we too can be called children of God! When we truly joy in this fact and truly appreciate the hope we have as God's children we will sacrifice our own self and selfish desires (Romans 8:13, Matthew 16:24-26, Romans 12:1-2, consider also Galatians 5:16-25), and make every effort to live right before God throughout our lives, just as Jesus did (John 6:38-40)! 

    You can do it! So can I!!

 

 

 

     

    

Be More Like the SON in 2021

    Many of you know that my Dad is a preacher. Growing up, I remember Dad often wrote a New Year's theme sermon and its title, as per his style, would rhyme with the new year number; something like: "Increase Our Faith in Thee in 1983." 

     As you can tell from the title of this post, I am following suit. I realized then when my dad was creating those annual themes and I know now that when something rhymes people are more apt to remember it (consider the ability to recall song lyrics), so, our theme for this year is...

Be More Like the SON in 2021

    God calls us by the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14) to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29-30). All that Jesus did, all the He endured and suffered, He did to leave us an example so we could follow His steps (1 Peter 1:21)!

     Whether you are a seasoned Bible student who has studied Jesus many times, a beginning bible student who is wanting to know more about Him or you find yourself somewhere in between, I believe that there is always room for improvement, there is always more we can learn from Jesus and the example He left for us to follow!

     Consider this theme as you go through your week - and let this song (with rhyming lyrics!) prepare your mind and heart to Be More Like the SON in 2021! 

  Click the link below to listen to "Let the Beauty of Jesus Be Seen in Me"