Reflect upon the magnitude of what Christ did for us.

John 1: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

² The same was in the beginning with God.

³ All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

⁴ In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

⁵ And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

⁷ The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

⁸ He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

⁹ That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

¹¹ He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴ And the Word was made 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…..

¹⁶ And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

¹⁷ For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

² For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

³ He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

⁴ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

⁷ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

⁸ He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

⁹ And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

¹⁰ Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

¹¹ He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

¹² Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors

Listen to the words of this beautiful song by Stuart Townend, Keith and Krysten Getty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9u-IcFcWVM&feature=related

FULLNESS OF GRACE

Fullness of Grace in man’s human frailty

This is the wonder of Jesus

Laying aside His power and glory

Humbly He entered our world

Chose the path of meanest worth

Scandal of a virgin birth

Born in a stable cold and rejected

Here lies the hope of the world

Fullness of Grace the love of the Father

Shown in the face of Jesus

Stooping to bear the weight of humanity

Walking the Calvary road

Christ the holy Innocent

Took our sin and punishment

Fullness of God despised and rejected

Crushed for the sins of the world

Fullness of hope in Christ we had longed for

Promise of God in Jesus

Through His obedience we are forgiven

Opening the floodgates of heaven

All our hopes and dreams we bring

Gladly as an offering

Fullness of life and joy unspeakable

God’s gift in love to the world

Keith & Kristyn Getty & Stuart Townend

Copyright © Thankyou Music 2004

Ephesians 6: ¹⁰Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

¹¹Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

¹²For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

¹³Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

¹⁵And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

¹⁶Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

¹⁸Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Little Soldier

by Effie Darlene Barba

Little Soldier are you ready?

The battle cry is here

Little Soldier are you wearing

All your God given gear

Did you put on your helmet?

Remembering what He’s done

He provided your salvation

When He gave His only Son

Did you strap on your breastplate?

Is your passion now on Him?

To follow in His footsteps

And shun all willful sin

Did you strap on the waist band?

Holding tight to all God said

And never compromising

So by His truth you’re led

Did you cover yourself completely

By the shield of faith in God

This Sovereign, Omniscient, Shepherd

We are protected by His rod.

So where are we going

To spread the gospel song?

Feet now shod with love and peace

We walk as we belong

So say a prayer, and off we go

To far and distant lands

To spread His gospel to a world

Is all that He demands

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRNFf3ykQvM

Please watch this short video from John Piper.

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/the-saddest-and-happiest-reality-in-the-universe

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

² By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

The more I know of God and the more I see of His Bountiful Love, the more Glorious I recognize Him to be.  The greater His Glory shines  a brilliant light into my life, the more I realize how utterly unworthy I am.  I see the darkness that lurks inside this human heart so filled with selfish desires.  So busy with the things of this world that I quickly forget how precious a treasure I have been given. The guilt and the weight of who I am would utterly crush me to the ground if it were not for this truth found in Romans 5.  Because of the Cross which Christ so willingly bore for me, I am justified by faith and faith alone.  In the courts of heaven, all the charges against me have been stamped "not guilty" because Christ paid the price for my sin.  Far beyond that, I am declared righteous; cloaked with His righteousness.  Despite that there are moments when I do not display Him as fully as I should.  Perhaps in laziness the mirror of my life which should reflect Him gets covered in smoke or soot and needs to be polished by the steady filling of His presence, by prayer, and by the diligent study of His word.   Yet, this is the greatest Grace by which I can stand and rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God.  He has promised that whom he called, He will justify, and whom He justifies, He will Sanctify.  I will look like Christ one day. 2 Corinthians 3: ¹⁸ But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.  Little by little, glory by glory; I am being transformed.  That is a promise I can cling tight to and rejoice in that hope of Future Grace  which proclaims that one day I will look like Him.  Such love, such grace compels me to stand and ever press forward Philippians 3: "¹² Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

¹³ Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

¹⁴ I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

So, my dear friends; I offer you this.  Whatever chains of guilt may try to drag you down today, whenever Satan whispers to you of your failures and inadequacies–remember this, you can stand and rejoice in the hope of the Glory of God.  God will never fail to keep His promise.  My prayer for you today as you go forward through this day is "¹⁸ The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

¹⁹ And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,"  Ephesians 1

The following song is one that I wrote many years ago; but, still speaks back to me as a reminder of His wondrous all sufficiency.  I hope you enjoy it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LbHd6eZrgk&feature=g-upl

Isaiah 43: ⁶ I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

⁷ Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

⁸ Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.

⁹ Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.

¹⁰ Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

¹¹ I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.

God has called unto Himself sons and daughters from the ends of the earth.  He created mankind to share His Love (the overflowing love of the Triune God).  He, creator of the universe, has called each by His own Name to share in His Glory though undeserving we might be.  He calls us to be witnesses to the world of His Glory.  We are to call out to the masses who are blinded by the world’s view.  2 Corinthians 4:³ But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

⁴ In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

⁵ For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake."

Yet, so often, for even those who know Christ we fail to show Him to this dying world because we (though witnesses of His Great Salvation) falter in our execution of the same; because we falter in our faith.  In this verse, I hear the pleading voice of God to His people to be witnesses for Him and of Him.  It is very similar to the plea that Jesus made of His apostles in Mark 8: "¹⁴ Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.

¹⁵ And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.

¹⁶ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.

¹⁷ And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?

¹⁸ Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

¹⁹ When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.

²⁰ And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.

²¹ And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?

It is my prayer today, that God might so shine His Light for me to see Him with the Eyes of My Heart to seek Him, laying aside all my own petty desires and "agendas".  I wish to be His servant and His Witness today. I pray for faith to understand His Will. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt0WluTpFTg&feature=related

Isaiah 55: ⁶ Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

⁸ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰ For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

¹¹ So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

¹² For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Some believe that salvation and following Christ can wait until tomorrow.  They may say that they are not ready to seek Him or to give up some treasure they think He might demand of them.  "When I accept Him I might have to give up all the fun I am now having" say some people when they hear of the Gospel of Christ.  Such foolish thoughts because there is no guarantee that you will have another chance tomorrow.  The Holy Spirit will not always strive with each man, today if you feel the Spirit calling you seek him today for there is no guarantee that tomorrow His presence will be there to enlighten you again.  God’s thoughts are righteousness, justice and purity which is so much higher than man can ever reach in his state of unrighteousness and self centeredness.  Only by seeking a relationship with God (while the Spirit is calling) can a person find Salvation purchased by Christ in which our faith is counted for righteousness.  For those of us who know Christ as our Savior let us be reminded that He is there to hear our prayers and that we can trust Him for the Grace we need today and the Future Grace that will guide our lives into that place of peace and great joy.   God is on His throne.  Have you talked with Him today?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSf65y4B20w