Mark 8:29
29He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ."
Do you know that how you see Jesus determines what you receive from Him? If you see Jesus as your healer, you will receive healing. If you see Jesus as your refuge and fortress, you will receive protection.
The people from Nazareth, Jesus' hometown, saw Jesus in the natural. They said of Him, "Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters are they not all with us?" (Matthew 13:55-56). They saw Jesus in the natural. They did not see Him as God in the flesh. As a result, He could not do many mighty works there (Matthew 13:58).
Many people, including some philosophers, see Jesus of Nazareth as a good man who led an exemplary life. They feel that if all of us could live our lives like Him, the world would be a better place. They do not see Jesus as the bread of God who came from heaven to give life to the world (John 6:33). They do not see Him as the one who came to give them living water so that they would never thirsty again (John 4:14). They do not see Him as the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world (John 1:29). They do not receive from Him what they need because they do not esteem Him rightly.
But Jesus did not come just to set a good example. He came to be your Redeemer (Galatians 3:13). He came to be your righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30). He came to be your Shepherd so that you will not lack anything (Psalm 23:1).
Jesus asked His disciples once, "But who do you say that I am?" How you answer this question depends on how you see Jesus. And how you see Jesus is how you will receive from Him. So, see Him as your God, as everything He claims to be in His Word, and He will do mighty works in your life!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
He Took Your Place So That You can Took His!
Matthew 27:46
46And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"
Do you know that it was at the cross that Jesus addressed His Father as "God" for the first time? He had always addressed His Father as "Father". But at the Calvary's tree, He addressed His Father as "God".
Jesus lost that Father-Son relationship when He was representing you and carrying your sins on the cross so that today, you can call God, "Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15), and have a loving father-son relationship with God forever. He was forsaken by God when His world became very dark on that lonely hill so that in your darkest hour, God will always say to you, "I will never leave you nor forsake you!" (Hebrews 13:5).
At the time when Jesus needed God most, God turned His back on Him. God had to turn His back on His Son because His eyes are too holy to behold all the sin that was in His Son's body. And because God turned His back on Jesus, He will never turn His back on you. Instead, you will see God's face of favour shining on you all the time!
Jesus also took your place of no protection at the cross. For the first time, He gave up divine protection so that you can enjoy it all the days of your life! And because He became sin, He took your curse at the cross so that today, as you take His gift of righteousness, you receive only blessings from God.
Jesus receive the full burnt of God's wrath in His body once and for all when He carried your sins. All of God's anger and condemnation fell on Him, consuming all your sins until there was no anger left.
Today, God is not angry with you. The body of Jesus absorbed everything - you sins, curses, and God's wrath and condemnation. So live life expecting not to see the judgement, but the goodness and blessings of God!
46And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"
Do you know that it was at the cross that Jesus addressed His Father as "God" for the first time? He had always addressed His Father as "Father". But at the Calvary's tree, He addressed His Father as "God".
Jesus lost that Father-Son relationship when He was representing you and carrying your sins on the cross so that today, you can call God, "Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15), and have a loving father-son relationship with God forever. He was forsaken by God when His world became very dark on that lonely hill so that in your darkest hour, God will always say to you, "I will never leave you nor forsake you!" (Hebrews 13:5).
At the time when Jesus needed God most, God turned His back on Him. God had to turn His back on His Son because His eyes are too holy to behold all the sin that was in His Son's body. And because God turned His back on Jesus, He will never turn His back on you. Instead, you will see God's face of favour shining on you all the time!
Jesus also took your place of no protection at the cross. For the first time, He gave up divine protection so that you can enjoy it all the days of your life! And because He became sin, He took your curse at the cross so that today, as you take His gift of righteousness, you receive only blessings from God.
Jesus receive the full burnt of God's wrath in His body once and for all when He carried your sins. All of God's anger and condemnation fell on Him, consuming all your sins until there was no anger left.
Today, God is not angry with you. The body of Jesus absorbed everything - you sins, curses, and God's wrath and condemnation. So live life expecting not to see the judgement, but the goodness and blessings of God!
Scourged For Your Wholeness!
Isaiah 53:5
5... And by His stripes we are healed.
The striped Matzah bread used in the Jewish Passover meal speaks of Jesus' body, which was beaten and scourged for us.
Under Roman law, a criminal was either scourged for a lesser crime and then set free, or crucified straightaway if guilty of a greater crime. But Jesus was both scourged and crucified.
Pontius Pilate had hoped that after scourging Jesus and presenting His bloodied body to the people, they would be satisfied and willing to let Him go. But the people were not and demanded His crucifixion.
Do not think for a moment that the people had power to inflict such sufferings on Jesus. It was God's plan and the scourging was necessary for only bu His stripes we are healed.
The Roman whip used for scourging was a leather whip made up of leather straps embedded with glass fragments and metal hooks. With just one strike, the instrument would have been wrapped around Jesus' body, causing the crushed glass to cut deep into His flesh. And as the whip was pulled back, the hooks would have stripped off His flesh, exposing muscle and bone. Indeed, the Psalmist says, "They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me." (Psalm 22:16-17) and "The plowers plowed on My back; they made their furrows long." (Psalm 129:3).
Although 39 was the maximum number of times one could be whipped according to Jewish law, I believe that Jesus was whipped more than that because the Romans, who were not likely to regard Jewish law, carried out the scourging. Whichever the case, His back would have been reduced to a mass of bloody, mutilated flesh. That day, Jesus' blood flowed freely from His body for your deliverance from every kind of disease and physical affliction. God allowed every one of those stripes to fall on His Son's body so that your body need not be scourged with disease.
My friend, if you are sick or suffering from some physical condition, know that Jesus took the scourging as full payment for you to be free of that condition. He bore those stripes so that, today, there is no sickness, no disease left for you to bear. By His stripes you have been healed!
5... And by His stripes we are healed.
The striped Matzah bread used in the Jewish Passover meal speaks of Jesus' body, which was beaten and scourged for us.
Under Roman law, a criminal was either scourged for a lesser crime and then set free, or crucified straightaway if guilty of a greater crime. But Jesus was both scourged and crucified.
Pontius Pilate had hoped that after scourging Jesus and presenting His bloodied body to the people, they would be satisfied and willing to let Him go. But the people were not and demanded His crucifixion.
Do not think for a moment that the people had power to inflict such sufferings on Jesus. It was God's plan and the scourging was necessary for only bu His stripes we are healed.
The Roman whip used for scourging was a leather whip made up of leather straps embedded with glass fragments and metal hooks. With just one strike, the instrument would have been wrapped around Jesus' body, causing the crushed glass to cut deep into His flesh. And as the whip was pulled back, the hooks would have stripped off His flesh, exposing muscle and bone. Indeed, the Psalmist says, "They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me." (Psalm 22:16-17) and "The plowers plowed on My back; they made their furrows long." (Psalm 129:3).
Although 39 was the maximum number of times one could be whipped according to Jewish law, I believe that Jesus was whipped more than that because the Romans, who were not likely to regard Jewish law, carried out the scourging. Whichever the case, His back would have been reduced to a mass of bloody, mutilated flesh. That day, Jesus' blood flowed freely from His body for your deliverance from every kind of disease and physical affliction. God allowed every one of those stripes to fall on His Son's body so that your body need not be scourged with disease.
My friend, if you are sick or suffering from some physical condition, know that Jesus took the scourging as full payment for you to be free of that condition. He bore those stripes so that, today, there is no sickness, no disease left for you to bear. By His stripes you have been healed!
A Holiday Letter From God!
Dear Children,
It has come to My attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.
How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just get along and love one another. Now, having said, that let Me go on.
If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put it in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that, there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.
Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree are holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can and may remember Me anytime you see any tree.
If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth, here is My wish list:
1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.
2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
3. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.
4. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
5. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local Hot-Line: they talk to people like that everyday.
6. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in you town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day, they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.
7. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.
8. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to some charity that believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.
9. Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of Mine.
P.S : Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those you love and, remember, I love you!
It has come to My attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.
How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just get along and love one another. Now, having said, that let Me go on.
If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put it in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that, there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.
Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree are holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can and may remember Me anytime you see any tree.
If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth, here is My wish list:
1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.
2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
3. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.
4. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
5. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local Hot-Line: they talk to people like that everyday.
6. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in you town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day, they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.
7. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.
8. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to some charity that believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.
9. Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of Mine.
P.S : Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those you love and, remember, I love you!
Jesus Wore The Crown Of Thorns For You!
John 19:2
2And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head...
If hard work is the formula of prosperity, then everyone who works hard should be prosperous. But this is certainly not the case. Many people who work very hard are still poor!
I am not advocating laziness. What I am saying is that working hard by the sweat of your brow is not how God's prosperity comes. In fact, if you have to work overtime all the time and are stressed out, you are operating under a curse.
What curse is that? It is that curse: "In the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread..." (Genesis 3:19). And it refers to the stress, struggle, and anxieties that come with working hard and yet producing little. Now, work itself is not a curse since God gave Adam work before the fall - Adam was to tend the garden of Eden. It was only after Adam sinned that the land was cursed and it brought forth thorns, and man had to toil to eat of it. (Genesis 3:17-18).
But praise God Jesus wore the thorns on His head to show you that He has borne this curse for you and redeemed you from it. He wore the crown of thorns so that you can work stress-free and yet have the results. You don't have to toil night and day like the world just to get ahead in life. Your heavenly Father can get you there without the stress (Matthew 6:22-23). Beloved, every curse that was supposed to fall on your head fell on Jesus' head, typified by the crown of thorns. He wore the crown of thorns for you so that you can have peace on mind. He wore the crown of thorns for you and took your curse so that you can wear the crown of glory and take His righteousness, and all the benefits of that righteousness!
Today, don't labour and toil like the people of the world. Instead, expect the blessings of God come into your life without the blood, sweat, and tears because Jesus wore the crown of thorns for you!
2And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head...
If hard work is the formula of prosperity, then everyone who works hard should be prosperous. But this is certainly not the case. Many people who work very hard are still poor!
I am not advocating laziness. What I am saying is that working hard by the sweat of your brow is not how God's prosperity comes. In fact, if you have to work overtime all the time and are stressed out, you are operating under a curse.
What curse is that? It is that curse: "In the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread..." (Genesis 3:19). And it refers to the stress, struggle, and anxieties that come with working hard and yet producing little. Now, work itself is not a curse since God gave Adam work before the fall - Adam was to tend the garden of Eden. It was only after Adam sinned that the land was cursed and it brought forth thorns, and man had to toil to eat of it. (Genesis 3:17-18).
But praise God Jesus wore the thorns on His head to show you that He has borne this curse for you and redeemed you from it. He wore the crown of thorns so that you can work stress-free and yet have the results. You don't have to toil night and day like the world just to get ahead in life. Your heavenly Father can get you there without the stress (Matthew 6:22-23). Beloved, every curse that was supposed to fall on your head fell on Jesus' head, typified by the crown of thorns. He wore the crown of thorns for you so that you can have peace on mind. He wore the crown of thorns for you and took your curse so that you can wear the crown of glory and take His righteousness, and all the benefits of that righteousness!
Today, don't labour and toil like the people of the world. Instead, expect the blessings of God come into your life without the blood, sweat, and tears because Jesus wore the crown of thorns for you!
Thanking Your Way To Your Miracle!
John 11:41
41Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me."
Jesus lived a life of thanksgiving. He always thanked His Father for what He had and for always hearing Him when He prayed. That was how He released miracles in His life.
In the story of the feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-13), Jesus' attitude was one of the thankfulness. He took a little boy's lunch of five loaves and two fish, gave thanks and had them distributed. He gave thanks for the little that was there and the little multiplied. Not only did the people eat as much as they wanted, there were 12 basketfuls left over!
So, when you see your meagre balance in your bank account, thank the Lord for what you have. It could be your "five loaves and two fish". When you give Him thanks, your little will become much, with leftovers!
Even when faced with the impossible, the solution was still, "Father, I thank You.." When Jesus stood outside Lazarus' tomb, and the people took away the stone that was covering the tomb, Jesus did not see the situation as hopeless and impossible. He simply lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me." Then, He proceeded to call forth Lazarus, and the man came forth alive once more.
The raising of Lazarus, who was dead for more than four days, was one of Jesus' greatest miracles. And He accomplished this by saying, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me." He thanked His way to an awesome miracle.
The next time you find yourself praying, "God, please! Do this for me... God, please! Give me this!" STOP! Instead say, "Thank You God, for hearing me. And because You have heard me, I thank You that I have what I asked for." And when you thank God, the little that you have will multiply. Your impossible situations will turn around for God's provision. And resurrection life will hit you!
41Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me."
Jesus lived a life of thanksgiving. He always thanked His Father for what He had and for always hearing Him when He prayed. That was how He released miracles in His life.
In the story of the feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-13), Jesus' attitude was one of the thankfulness. He took a little boy's lunch of five loaves and two fish, gave thanks and had them distributed. He gave thanks for the little that was there and the little multiplied. Not only did the people eat as much as they wanted, there were 12 basketfuls left over!
So, when you see your meagre balance in your bank account, thank the Lord for what you have. It could be your "five loaves and two fish". When you give Him thanks, your little will become much, with leftovers!
Even when faced with the impossible, the solution was still, "Father, I thank You.." When Jesus stood outside Lazarus' tomb, and the people took away the stone that was covering the tomb, Jesus did not see the situation as hopeless and impossible. He simply lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me." Then, He proceeded to call forth Lazarus, and the man came forth alive once more.
The raising of Lazarus, who was dead for more than four days, was one of Jesus' greatest miracles. And He accomplished this by saying, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me." He thanked His way to an awesome miracle.
The next time you find yourself praying, "God, please! Do this for me... God, please! Give me this!" STOP! Instead say, "Thank You God, for hearing me. And because You have heard me, I thank You that I have what I asked for." And when you thank God, the little that you have will multiply. Your impossible situations will turn around for God's provision. And resurrection life will hit you!
Jesus Bore Your Diseases!
Isaiah 53:4
4Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows...
Imagine the dreadful disease leprosy eating a man alive. The poor leper in Matthew 8:2 could stand his suffering no longer, so he came out into the open to look for Jesus. He needed to know if Jesus was willing to heal him. So when he saw Jesus, he fell at His feet and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." (Matthew 8:2). The Son of God looked at the outcast with love in His eyes, reached out His hand, touched him and said, "I am willing; be cleansed." (Matthew 8:3).
Perhaps you are suffering from some disease and wondering if God is willing to heal you? And you are not sure if He is willing because just as you have seen people not get healed. My friend, don't look to people's experiences, look at the cross! As surely as Jesus bore away your sins, He also bore away your diseases!
I want to give you a solid foundation today for believing this truth. In Isaiah 53, the chapter on our Lord's crucifixion, it says in verse four : "Surely He has borne our griefs and carried out our sorrows." Now, let's learn a little Hebrews. The word "griefs" and "sorrows" here means "sicknesses" and "pains" in the original Hebrew text. So, Isaiah is referring to physical healing.
Once, I asked a Jewish friend to read this verse in his Hebrew Bible and tell me what it means. He told me that his Bible says clearly that Jesus has borne our sicknesses and carried out our pains.
If that is not enough, look at Matthew 8:16-17 : "....they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying : 'He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.'" Matthew quotes Isaiah 53:4, saying that Jesus took our "infirmities" and bore our "sicknesses". And the context is physical healing.
My friend, if you will just believe this report, your days of sickness will be over. You will walk in greater health because the One who has surely borne your sicknesses and carried your pains says to you, I am willing, be cleansed."
4Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows...
Imagine the dreadful disease leprosy eating a man alive. The poor leper in Matthew 8:2 could stand his suffering no longer, so he came out into the open to look for Jesus. He needed to know if Jesus was willing to heal him. So when he saw Jesus, he fell at His feet and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." (Matthew 8:2). The Son of God looked at the outcast with love in His eyes, reached out His hand, touched him and said, "I am willing; be cleansed." (Matthew 8:3).
Perhaps you are suffering from some disease and wondering if God is willing to heal you? And you are not sure if He is willing because just as you have seen people not get healed. My friend, don't look to people's experiences, look at the cross! As surely as Jesus bore away your sins, He also bore away your diseases!
I want to give you a solid foundation today for believing this truth. In Isaiah 53, the chapter on our Lord's crucifixion, it says in verse four : "Surely He has borne our griefs and carried out our sorrows." Now, let's learn a little Hebrews. The word "griefs" and "sorrows" here means "sicknesses" and "pains" in the original Hebrew text. So, Isaiah is referring to physical healing.
Once, I asked a Jewish friend to read this verse in his Hebrew Bible and tell me what it means. He told me that his Bible says clearly that Jesus has borne our sicknesses and carried out our pains.
If that is not enough, look at Matthew 8:16-17 : "....they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying : 'He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.'" Matthew quotes Isaiah 53:4, saying that Jesus took our "infirmities" and bore our "sicknesses". And the context is physical healing.
My friend, if you will just believe this report, your days of sickness will be over. You will walk in greater health because the One who has surely borne your sicknesses and carried your pains says to you, I am willing, be cleansed."
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