Jesus Loves Me

A CONVERSATION I HAD WITH MY HEAVENLY FATHER

Father, You have taught me in the past few years just how much you love me. I have always heard  "Jesus loves me, this I know," but Father, I don't think I really knew just how much you do love me until this year. The closer I've drawn to you, the more I have realized just how much you gave of yourself so that I could live forever with you. I feel so unworthy of your love, but yet I know I am worthy because of your Son. I am nothing without Jesus, but I am everything in him. I don't know if I will ever comprehend all this. You call this love a great mystery. I can see why.

Father, another thing I used to do all the time is go to church, listen to the sermon, and then come home and try to change myself. I used to feel like such a miserable wretch after coming home from church and hearing yet another sermon that told me I needed to change. My husband used to ask me, "Why do you continue going to church when all you do is beat yourself up?" I never had an answer until now. Father, because of what you have taught me, I no longer feel like a miserable wretch. I no longer feel guilty and insecure. I now know who I am in you, that I am worthy because of your Son, and not because of anything I have done or will ever do. You do love me just the way I am and all you ask is that I rest in you, so you can live through me.

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Father, thank you so very much for teaching me this. I've read those verses in Matthew 11 many times, but never really understood them until now. Your yoke is easy and your burden is light. I know now that if my yoke is hard and my burden is heavy, then it's not your yoke or burden, it's mine.

Father, I feel more confident now than I ever have in my entire life. Not confident in myself, but confident of who I am in you. Confident that because I am resting in you, I am exactly where you want me to be. Confident that because I have surrendered my life to you, you are accomplishing your will for my life through me. Father, I not only feel confident but I also am at peace with myself and everything around me, because I trust you with all my heart, I don't lean unto my own understanding, I acknowledge you in all my ways, and you are directing my paths.

DO YOU WANT GOD TO SHOW YOU HIS WAYS?

"He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel."  Psalm 103:7

 

There are many benefits of reading the Bible, but if you only read it, you are just reading the acts of God.  If you want God to show you his ways, then you need to study and meditate on his Word.  While you are meditating on his Word, ask God questions.  Look up the words in Hebrew or Greek using a Strong's Concordance.  Think about the words during the day.  Mull them over.  Ponder them.  Talk to God about them.  All the while you are doing this, you will hear God's voice in your spirit revealing deeper truths about the verses you are thinking about or asking him about. 

 

Just last night I was thinking about the words "victory in Christ" and "your victory is in Christ," but I could not put in words what exactly they meant.  I have heard these words many times in my Christian walk, but never really understood the meaning, and while I was thinking about them, the Holy Spirit spoke this to my spirit:  Your victory is in Christ because every time you follow his leading, every time you do what he prompts you to do, you are heading toward victory in whatever area you need victory in.  I tell you, you don't need Bible school.  The Holy Spirit is the best Bible School you will ever receive.  I have nothing against Bible School, but keep in mind that they will only teach you the acts of God.  Only God can teach you his ways. 

GOD'S WORD IS HEALTH TO ALL YOUR FLESH

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."  Psalm 1:1-3

 

When you read, meditate and study God's Word, you are like a tree planted by living waters.  God's fruit (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance) will flow out of your life effortlessly.  Your leaf (youth, health) will not wither.  If you say, but I am reading God's Word, but I am still sick, then I say increase the dose!  In Proverbs 4, it says his Word is health to all your flesh.  In the Hebrew, health here literally means medicine.  All you need is either more medicine or stronger medicine, so read more of God's Word.  Study more.  Meditate more.  You will bring forth fruit in due time!

WALKING IN THE SPIRIT

This morning when I woke up, I asked God a question and as He sometimes does, He answered me right away. You see, I have been trying to get rid of something in my life for some time now. I purposely will not tell you what it is because I want you to plug in your own thing you are trying to get rid of in your life. Sometimes I do good and abstain.  Sometimes I just partake. I was doing so good last night, so I thought, and then it came across my path and I happily said yes, or more accurately, my flesh happily said yes again. So this morning, one of the first things I did was ask God, why did I say yes again. Why can't I stop partaking and just say no, and this is what God said to me: It is because you are not walking in the Spirit.

It always amazes me how God teaches me what He is trying to get me to see. A lot of His teachings lately have been about worship and praise, and this morning when He said, It is because you are not walking in the Spirit, I knew in my heart what God said was the grand finale of what He was trying to get me to see. While I am worshiping and praising Jesus, I am walking in the Spirit. While my mind is on Jesus and His Word, I am walking in the Spirit. You walk in the Spirit by continually, from the moment you get up until you go to bed, think about your Savior and His goodness towards you. Yes, you have many things to do, but your many things to do will never give you the power to overcome what you need to overcome. Remember the story about Martha and Mary? (Luke 10:38-41). Mary sat at Jesus' feet listening to His every word. Martha was busy with her many things. And here is what Jesus said to Martha, "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." You see, the many things you have to do are full of care and troubles, but spending time with Jesus is the good part and what you learn at Jesus' feet "shall not be taken away from" you.

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Isaiah 26:3

So here's how you continually walk in the Spirit throughout your day. Start talking to Jesus the moment you get up in the morning. Then between your daily work continue to talk to Jesus. Thank Him for His goodness and His many blessings, praise Him, ask Him questions, tell Him what's on your mind, sing or hum hymns or Scripture songs. You can do this while you are walking to your car, or to the restroom, going to lunch, cooking dinner, making your bed. Whenever you find yourself alone, instead of talking to yourself or thinking about how upset someone made you or what you had for dinner last night, just talk to Jesus. That is walking in the Spirit.

You see, there is power when you are walk in the Spirit. The Bible says that God inhabits the praises of His people, so while you are praising Jesus, God is there. The power is God's power. Always be aware of God's presence in your life. Keep your thinking focused on Jesus. If you are walking in the Spirit, you are being led by God's Spirit. You cannot be led by the Spirit if you are walking in the flesh. I suppose you can say that walking in the flesh is thinking about everything but Jesus. Walking in the Spirit means you are tuned into the Spirit realm and you will easily be able to hear God's voice in your spirit.

"And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about." Luke 4:14



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AS JESUS IS TODAY, SO ARE YOU IN THIS WORLD

 

I would like to take you on a journey.  This journey changed my whole perspective on what it means to be IN CHRIST.  It changed my whole perspective on the meaning of 1 John 4:17, "As Jesus is, so are we in this world."  So sit back, relax, and enjoy this journey with me.    

 

About 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ laid down His life on a cross to pay for the sins of the whole world.  Right before He died, He said, "It is finished."  His work was done.  He was now able to stop working and rest.  In fact, as soon as Jesus Christ returned to heaven, He sat down at the right hand of the Father and is now resting, because all of His enemies are under His footstool.  Jesus Christ is now resting in heaven next to His Father, waiting for the Father to tell Him it is time to get His bride.

 

Now picture this.  You just realized who Jesus Christ was.  You just realized why Jesus Christ came to this earth.  You then accepted Him as your Savior.  You have never felt so loved.  You have never felt so free.  All of your guilt fell away.  You are now saved eternally to live forever with Jesus Christ!  What a glorious day it is!

 

All of heaven rejoiced because of you.  All of heaven rejoiced with you.  But here is what you didn't see, but what heaven saw.  The moment you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, that very moment you were put into Christ.  You are now seated IN CHRIST in heaven next to the Father.  You are as loved by the Father as Jesus is.  Rest, love, joy, and peace are yours in Christ.  Victory for every one of your battles is in Christ.  You are surrounded by God's favor in Christ.  All of God's blessings are yours in Christ.  In fact, everything you will ever need, want, or desire is in Christ.  Are you jumping for joy yet? 

 

Now picture this.  Something has just upset you.  It's troubling you.  It's making you worry.  Your soul has become restless.  You didn't see it, but all of heaven did.  The moment your soul became restless, you stood up.  The moment you stood up, you got out of IN CHRIST.  The moment you got out of in Christ, you stopped trusting Him.  You are now trusting in youself to come up with a solution. 

 

As soon as you realize you have stood up, stop yourself, and sit back down.  It might take you awhile at first, but you will get faster at recognizing when you have stood up.  The moment you realize you have stood up, tell your soul to sit down (to stop being restless).  Tell Jesus what has troubled you and let it go.  When you do this, you are telling Jesus you are trusting He will take care of it all.  Then remind your soul of all the benefits you have IN CHRIST.  In fact, keep telling your soul these benefits until you feel your soul calming down and resting in Christ once again.  The safest place for a child of God is IN CHRIST.