Monday, June 10, 2024

The Work of God is For Us to Believe

“Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’29 Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent’” – John 6:28-29

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast” – Ephesians 2:8-9


We can get all wrapped up in our desire

To love God

To serve God

To love others

To be Christ’s witnesses


These are all well and good


Nevertheless


Jesus says that if we really want to

Do the work of God


It is to BELIEVE


To believe in the One God sent


To BELIEVE that


Jesus is the Son of God

Jesus is the One sent by God

Jesus is God



Sometimes 

In our desire to do God’s work

We become all wrapped up in ourselves


Sometimes

It becomes all about us

What we have done

What we can do


Us


Us proving we are

Good enough

Godly enough

Worthy enough

Grateful enough


When our salvation is by grace through faith

It is a gift from God

One that we need to have

the faith to receive


God’s grace is for the taking

We need to choose to take the gift


The interplay between

God’s gift for us and

Us accepting His gift through faith



Us choosing to believe that


Jesus has died for us on the cross

Jesus has paid the full price for our sins

Jesus has risen for us from the grave


Jesus was sent by God

To accomplish His salvation plan for us



This belief

This believing


Is good enough for salvation

Is good enough 

Work

We could possibly do for God



We choose to believe

God gives us the faith to believe


And that faith is God’s gift of grace to us



Monday, June 3, 2024

Loving Ourselves God’s Way


Jesus calls us to love others 

As we love ourselves


How do we love others

If we don’t know how to love ourselves


We look to how God loves us

We take His lead

We ask for God’s lens to 

See us the way

God sees us


God loves us 

Fully

Dearly

Fiercely

Tenderly

Attentively


God knows our being 

Godly

Ungodly

Public

Private

Selfless

Selfish

Righteous

Sinful

Strength-filled

Weakness-wrecked


God sees our every moment

Good

Bad

High

Low

Joyous

Anguished


Hopeful

Discouraged

Victorious

Defeated


Bold

Fearful

Confident

Insecure


Peaceful

Anxious

Shalom

Tortured


Optimistic

Pessimistic

Fulfilling

Challenging


Fervent

Apathetic

Exciting

Doldrum


Nothing is hidden from Him


And He still claims us as His

Beloved

Chosen

The Apple of His eyes


In Whom He is well pleased


God rejoices over us

He made us for His pleasure


God takes joy over us

Because each of us 

Uniquely reflect His glory


Only we 

Each of us


Can reflect 


A unique aspect of 

God’s glory


Christ saw us on the other side of the cross

And willingly hung on the cross

To

Gain 

Us


The Triune God was pleased

To pay the biggest price

For us

To 

Gain 

Us


When we struggle with 

Our failings

Our moments

Our own company


Invite the Holy Spirit 

Into the situation

Into the moment


Offer the moment

Unto God


As we live this and each moment

For God

Not for ourselves


Offering ourselves as 

Living Sacrifice


Fully enter the moment

Offer the moment

Live this moment

For Him


Accept the outcome of the moment

As we live 

For and

Unto

God


Choosing to 

See ourselves the way 

God sees us

Love ourselves the way

God loves us


For

Who are we

That we would override

God of

His view toward us

His love for us


Oh how He loves you and me


How God desires that we would

See ourselves the way 

He sees us

Love ourselves the way 

He loves us


Through the blood of Jesus on the cross

Through the indwelling Holy Spirit


God accomplished this

Reality 

For us


It is accomplished

It is finished


It is available 

For the taking


Now


"God Really Loves Us" - Crowder