12/12/2011

John 1:13 …..who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

As Believers, we were born into the family of God not by blood such as a human father and child nor by what we do in our own strength but it is solely because of God that we are able to be a part of His family.

 Recently, in Romans, I have been discovering in a deeper way what Christ truly did for me on the cross…. When God the Father sees me, He does not see my sin but solely His son’s righteousness. How amazing and spectacular is that! What a blessing and relief to know that being a part of God’s family is not due to what I can bring or offer…. because if that was the case, I would not be able to be a part of God’s family. No one can ever accomplish what it would take to be a part of God’s family through our own strength.

To apply this to my life, I need to realize that everything I do and all that I say is an act of obedience. I will never be any more righteous in God’s eyes by what I do, but I do it out of obedience and love for my Savior for ALL that He has done for me! Praise the Lord!

12/13/2011

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Here this verse is describing Jesus Christ becoming all man and all God and coming on this earth. Jesus Christ even though He became human still had all the glory of the Father illuminating from Him. He was also full of grace and truth....truth.… God is never changing.  He is the same God who raised Lazarus from the dead and appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus. For Hebrews 13:8 says that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And because God is truth we can believe everything He has told us about Himself and His promises are forever true.

As I go through different circumstances in Costa Rica, I want to keep clinging to the fact that God is the same God who encouraged Paul and the disciples as they spread His Word and will never leave me nor forsake me. God is so worthy to be praised and I am so thankful He is unchanging.

12/14/2011

John 1:15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”

Here John, the disciple of Jesus, is quoting John the Baptist when He was preparing the people for the coming of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist was explaining to the people that not only is the One who was coming greater but He was also here before the beginning of time.

This really struck me in a new way. Part of John the Baptist’s evangelism is proclaiming the glory of God…God was here before the beginning. God is never-ending omniscient and omnipotent. So often, I believe, I downplay the majesty of God when I share the Good News with others. Am I myself fully aware when I am talking to the Lord who I actually I am actually communing with? Do I actually fear the Lord, His power, and His strength?

To apply this to my life, when I pray I want to start being more aware of whom I am actually talking to. Yes, God is a personal God but I do not want to take advantage of that and lose sight of the glory and awe that He deserves.