Colossians 1:9-14

Oh that we may  be filled with the wisdom and understanding that comes to us through Holy Spirit. Within us He can accomplish God’s will for our lives and the lives of those we touch.

"Thank you, Great Spirit, for entrusting me with another day. Thank you for giving me another chance to do what I can do. I will strive to be worthy of your trust by being kindness in action. I will be mindful of what I am doing. I will be conscientious in my compassion. With your help, I will be a source of love and hope for every person and creature on this planet who share these hours with me." Rev. Steven Charleston    

A blessing for telling the truth
(no matter how bitter or sweet)
Blessed are you, resisting the urge to reframe.
You who are sick and tired of silver linings.
Blessed are you, speaking honestly
about what is right in front of you:
This is hard.
Things might not get better.
This really has gone horribly.
There may not be a different way.
You who risk honesty,
especially when the world around us craves a brightside.
Blessed are we in our gratitude and our pain,
our pleasures and our limitations.
Blessed are we, the truth-tellers.
Whose candor finds a chorus that echos back: “Same.”
May we feel ourselves answered
by this language of love,
changed where we can,
and confirmed where we can’t.
But loved loved loved all the same.
Amen.
Thank you Kate Bowler “Sabbath Moments”

Colossians 1:9-14

9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. The New King James Version

All the fulness dwells in Him refers to God being fully present in Christ. Consequently, Christ is sufficient for the Colossians’ salvation. This phrase echoes the glory of God filling of the tabernacle Exodus. 

In the ancient world, people believed that deities lived on high places such as mountains. For example, when the Israelites entered the wilderness, God met them on a mountain. But God did not stay on the mountain; He instructed the Israelites to build a tabernacle—a dwelling place for Him to live among His people. God came down and filled the tabernacle with His glory as a sign of His presence among them. The prophet Isaiah interpreted this cloud of glory as the Holy Spirit. This gracious act was God’s extension of friendship to the Israelites 

The Gospel of John describes Christ as the tabernacle or the dwelling of God—an allusion that demonstrates the continuity between God’s presence among the Israelites and His presence in the person of Christ. The Fullness of God refers to the act of restoring a relationship to harmony. The purpose of Christ’s death on the cross was to bring all things created by Christ and for Christ into harmonious relationship. Faithlife Study Bible

Paul’s chief concern is that the Colossians might have full knowledge of God’s will. The desire to serve God will be in vain without a proper understanding of the One we want to serve. Thus Paul prays that the Colossians might be filled with full knowledge that encompasses all wisdom and spiritual understanding. 

Wisdom is the practical outworking of knowledge, and that knowledge cannot be separated from the spiritual understanding that comes through the discernment given by the Holy Spirit.

 In addition to the full knowledge of the Lord’s will mentioned, Paul desires that the Colossians may walk worthy of the Lord. Paul wanted the Colossians to live in a manner that adequately reflected what God had done for them and was doing in them. Being “worthy of God” is a phrase that occurs in ancient pagan inscriptions throughout Asia. It pictures someone’s life being weighed on scales to determine its worth. If these devotees to false gods knew they had to walk in a worthy manner, certainly Christians should dedicate their lives to the living God in order to please Him. 

According to His glorious power means that believers are empowered not in proportion to their need but according to God’s strength. So then, Paul desires to see nothing less than the very power of God Himself at work in the Colossian believers. Like Samson’s a believer’s strength comes from God alone.

Believers can never be qualified on their own; instead God must make them sufficient through Jesus Christ. The tense of the verb points to “qualifying” as an act in the past rather than a process. Ordinarily to qualify for an event or a position, we have to prove ourselves. However the inheritance that believers receive is not one that they have earned but is based on being qualified by God. 

The Father “qualifies” us for eternal life with Him, whereas the Son will reward us at the end of the race. God has liberated believers from the dominion of darkness. The apostle uses the common symbolism of light and darkness for good and evil, for God’s kingdom and Satan’s kingdom, that is found throughout the NT. The kingdom from which believers have been rescued is the kingdom of darkness. 

The Greek word redemption points naturally to the payment of a price or ransom for the release of a slave. The slavery from which believers are released is not physical but spiritual. They are freed from bondage to sin by forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus Christ. The NKJV Study Bible

Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding;

Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

Ephesians 4:2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,

1 Thessalonians 2:12 that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

2 Peter 1:11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Mark 5:18-20

Our testimony is HIS story!

In Romans 8:28 Paul writes, “In everything God works for the good of those who love him.” Does everything include tumors and tests and tempers and terminations? John would answer yes. John did not know that Friday’s tragedy would be Sunday’s triumph. You’d think he would have left. Who was to say that the men who crucified Christ wouldn’t come after him? To others, Jesus was a miracle worker, a master teacher, and the hope of Israel. But to John, he was all of these and more. To John, Jesus was a friend, and you don’t abandon a friend—even when that friend is dead.

When you are somewhere between yesterday’s tragedy and tomorrow’s triumph, what do you? Do you leave God, or do you linger near him? John chose to linger. And because he lingered on Saturday, he was around on Sunday to see the miracle. May you do the same. Max Lucado

Mark 5:18-20

18 And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. 19 However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” 20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled. The New King James Version

This is the only episode in Mark’s Gospel in which Jesus does not attempt to conceal His identity, but He also does not tell the man to proclaim to his friends how much He, Jesus, has done for him. Instead, it seems that He is telling the man to share how much “the Lord”—likely a reference to the divine name Yahweh in this instance—has done for him.  Faithlife Study Bible

Jesus was not well received in this region. His presence had cost financial loss to some, although it meant liberation to the demoniac. Jesus could have healed and saved in that region, but He was turned away by its fearful citizens. Yet He left a solid witness behind. All the people marveled when they heard what Jesus had done for him. The NKJV Study Bible

What multitudes of fallen spirits there must be, and all enemies to God and man, when here was a legion in one poor wretched creature! Many there are that rise up against us. We are not a match for our spiritual enemies, in our own strength; but in the Lord, and in the power of his might, we shall be able to stand against them, though there are legions of them. When the vilest transgressor is delivered by the power of Jesus from the bondage of Satan, he will gladly sit at the feet of his Deliverer, and hear his word, who delivers the wretched slaves of Satan, and numbers them among his saints and servants. When the people found that their swine were lost, they had a dislike to Christ. Long-suffering and mercy may be seen, even in the corrections by which men lose their property while their lives are saved, and warning given them to seek the salvation of their souls. The man joyfully proclaimed what great things Jesus had done for him. All men marvelled, but few followed him. Many who cannot but wonder at the works of Christ, yet do not, as they ought, wonder after him. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Exodus 15:2 The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

Psalm 66:16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul.

Matthew 4:25 Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

Matthew 9:8 Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.

Luke 8:39 “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

Acts 2:38-39

The life sustaining power that Jesus gives us is Holy Spirit. 

Without Him in our life we are without guidance and without hope.  We must trust Him completely to direct our life in the way of the Lord.

Dear God, in a world filled with ceaseless motion, help me to find and practice balance. Give me the strength to not put on blinders to all that is hurtful and wrong in the world. Instead, let me make a meaningful and healing difference as I move forward from a place of peace. Amen. 

With my eyes open
I will do the good work of loving those whose paths I cross. Everyday.
And because we need places to replenish. And heal. And rebuild. Because we need one another more than ever. And I will fight for sanctuary for the broken and the lonely. And I will fight for sanctuary for those who have heartrending choices to make.
And I choose to be a voice for compassion and mercy and second chances and healing and hope and grace and sanctuary and inclusiveness and restoration and kindness and bigheartedness.

I will remind us that…
Grace wins
Hope wins
Compassion wins

Because deep down there is a light that cannot be extinguished by hatred or judgment or cynicism or fear. Sabbath Moments

Acts 2:38-39

38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” The New King James Version

The Greek word used here, metanoeō, for repent denotes a change of mind, will, or actions. Peter calls the people to believe that Jesus is the Messiah promised in the old testament. Peter’s exhortation involves two actions: repentance and baptism. These are connected with two promises: forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

In Acts, Luke presents saving faith, repentance, forgiveness, baptism, and the gift of the Spirit as interrelated aspects of embracing Jesus and coming to belong to the people of God in Christ. Just as circumcision served as a visible external marker of inclusion in the covenant community of Israel, so baptism serves as the public sign and seal of a person’s solidarity with Christ and participation in the new covenant community of faith, which encompasses both Jewish and non-Jewish people. Baptism identifies a person with Jesus in His life, death, burial, and resurrection 

God does not overlook or ignore sin, but graciously frees those who belong to Jesus from its condemnation and power. Jesus promised to send the Spirit to dwell in those who belong to Him, enabling them to trust and follow Him as their Savior and Lord.

Peter could be referring to the applicability of the gospel message to the immediate members of a person’s household or more generally to the message of salvation reaching generations to come (the descendants of the people present). Faithlife Study Bible

Repentance for the Judeans involved rejecting their former attitudes and opinions concerning who Jesus was. 

When a person recognizes who Jesus Christ really is, the result is the desire to do what He commands. The first action that Jesus requires of a new believer is baptism, the outward expression of inward faith. The idea of an unbaptized Christian is foreign to the New Testament. Is Peter saying that we must be baptized to receive forgiveness of our sins? Scripture clearly teaches that we are justified by faith alone, not by works. The critical word in this phrase is the word for, which may also be translated “with a view to.” A comparison of Peter’s message in makes it clear that “remission of sins” comes to “whoever believes.” Believers are baptized in view of God’s work of forgiveness, not in order to receive that forgiveness. 

God’s forgiveness in Christ gives baptism its significance. Baptism is a public declaration that a person’s sins have been forgiven because of the finished work of Christ on the Cross. 

The gift of the Holy Spirit was the promise of Jesus in John. The Holy Spirit puts us in communion with the Father and the Son. This indwelling of the Spirit is a beautiful promise of the New Covenant, an indication not only that our sins are forgiven, but also that the Lord has placed His law within us. 

Peter exhorted his listeners to repent. In other words, each person had to make the decision to turn away from his or her sinful habits and turn to God in faith. Then God would forgive that person’s sins and declare them righteous because of Jesus’ work on the Cross. 

In first-century Israel, a father held tremendous influence in his home. When a father chose to receive Christ and be baptized, his children would follow his lead. The NKJV Study Bible

From the first delivery of that Divine message, it appeared that there was Divine power going with it; and thousands were brought to the obedience of faith. But neither Peter’s words, nor the miracle they witnessed, could have produced such effects, had not the Holy Spirit been given. Sinners, when their eyes are opened, cannot but be pricked to the heart for sin, cannot but feel an inward uneasiness. The apostle exhorted them to repent of their sins, and openly to avow their belief in Jesus as the Messiah, by being baptized in his name. Thus professing their faith in Him, they would receive remission of their sins, and partake of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring;

Joel 2:28 “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.

Joel 2:32 And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the remnant whom the LORD calls.

Luke 24:47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Matthew 28:18-20

ALL things that happen in our life or in our world are under the control of  Jesus.

He is the physical embodiment of the Father. He is long suffering, full of grace and cares for all life. He allows us, as believers, to let others know of the salvation that God offers in Him. 

As doers of the Word of  God, we share God’s love to every person that He places in our path. 

God’s agape love is the power of Holy Spirit to guide us. All in the name of the King of kings and the Lord of lords, Jesus Christ.

Without love we are just noise.

…when our wounds cease to be a source of shame, and become a source of healing, we have become wounded healers. Sabbath Moments 

Nobody escapes being wounded. We all are wounded people, whether physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. The main question is not "How can we hide our wounds?" So, we don't have to be embarrassed, but "How can we put our woundedness in the service of others?" Henri Nouwen

“Hallowed be thy name.” The phrase is a petition, not a proclamation. A request, not an announcement. Hallowed be your name.  Do whatever it takes to be holy in my life. Take your rightful place on the throne. You be Lord, and I’ll be quiet…In the midst of your daily storms, make it a point to be still and set your sights on him. Let God be God. Max Lucado

Matthew 28:18-20

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. The New King James Version

The resurrection is the ultimate validation of Jesus’ divine authority. He extends this authority to His disciples to continue the work of the kingdom of heaven. Matthew emphasizes this theme throughout his Gospel. Jesus has repeatedly demonstrated His authority over all things—the human body, demons, natural elements (such as wind and water), the Sabbath, sin, and even death. 

The disciples’ task was to reproduce themselves by going, baptizing, and teaching.  Baptism is a  public signal of identification with Jesus and His kingdom. The end of the age will be marked by Jesus’ second coming. Faithlife Study Bible

All authority has been given to Jesus, although He is not yet exercising all of it. He will manifest this power when He returns in all His glory. The word authority normally refers to delegated authority The Father would give this authority to the Son.  The NKJV Study Bible

Christ gave such convincing proofs of his resurrection, as made their faith to triumph over doubts. He now solemnly commissioned the apostles and his ministers to go forth among all nations. The salvation they were to preach, is a common salvation; whoever will, let him come, and take the benefit; all are welcome to Christ Jesus. 

Christianity is the religion of a sinner who applies for salvation from deserved wrath and from sin; he applies to the mercy of the Father, through the atonement of the incarnate Son, and by the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, and gives up himself to be the worshipper and servant of God, as the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three Persons but one God, in all his ordinances and commandments. 

Baptism is an outward sign of that inward washing, or sanctification of the Spirit, which seals and evidences the believer’s justification. Let us examine ourselves, whether we really possess the inward and spiritual grace of a death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness, by which those who were the children of wrath become the children of God. Believers shall have the constant presence of their Lord always; all days, every day. 

There is no day, no hour of the day, in which our Lord Jesus is not present with his churches and with his ministers; if there were, in that day, that hour, they would be undone. The God of Israel, the Saviour, is sometimes a God that hideth himself, but never a God at a distance. To these precious words Amen is added. Even so, Lord Jesus, be thou with us and all thy people; cause thy face to shine upon us, that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Daniel 7:13 “I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him.

Daniel 7:14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.

Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

Luke 24:47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Life Church Vineyard

Pastor Mitch Price

Lord I need You. 

Every hour I need You

Holiness is Christ in me.

You made a way when there was no way…Your promise stills stand. How great is You faithfulness.

Fear not the Lord goes with you. He never leaves you.

Fear not His love never fails. Keep your eyes on the Lord.

Be courageous be strong lreach out to the Lord and just hold on.

The Great Unkown

We often overlook the common, everyday people.

We are those people. The great unknown. We are living the final days of our lives and we want our life to honor His. 

“Does what I have to offer really matter?”

Yes, when we have gifts and talents and share those with others it matters to God. We are His hands and feet.

1 Corinthians 3:9

9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.

He takes whatever we have to offer and multiplies it.

What are we doing with our talents? We can touch peoples lives one step at a time. God wants us to know that our efforts matter to Him. 

Every one of us, as believers, are part of the great unknown. When our lives point to HIStory we are being His workers here on earth.

Matthew 13:3-9

13 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

We want to be planted in good soil! We need to scatter His seeds everywhere. Love and serve others. 

When we look at the world with the eyes of God, and see the misery  of the world, we can offer others the bigger picture of our Lord and Savior. In sharing His salvation and His love and grace we give hope.

Matthew 13:18-19

18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

God want no one to perish. We show His love for others by caring for them. It is important how we share. Without love we are  just noise!!!

1 Corinthians 1:18

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

We can have empathy for others who are not like us. People without Jesus are suffering. We can offer the hope of Christ within to everyone we meet.

The Tree Church

Pastor Matthew Johnson

All my life You have been faithful and I have lived in the goodness of God!

Psalm 100 A Psalm of Thanksgiving. 

1 Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. 3 Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5 For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations. The New King James Version

King of kings and Lord of lords…Jesus!!

Choices have consequences

Every choice is a step toward a destination. David was a  man after Gods’ own heart. When he was confronted with his sins he repented. God saw his heart. David was a military king. He served first as a military leader to king Saul. At the end of his life David wanted to build a temple to God. Because of his  military violence he was denied but it was given to his son Solomon to build the temple. David remained in the background with monetary con

Jeremiah 23:5-6

5 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. 6 In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS

“Jesus is the Lord of righteousness”.

Israel wrongly thought that the Messiah would come in a military fashion and that He would restore power to them. 

Jesus did not fill that mold.

Jesus came with shouts of grace, truth and love!

John 6:38

38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Matthew 6:913

9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13  And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Philippians 2:5-8

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus was willing to leave heaven to do the will of the Father. He lowered himself to human form in order to give His life in propitiation for ours. He experienced all the trials and temptation that are normal for humans but without sin. He suffered and died for us out of the love of God for man.

Matthew 26:39

39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

Jesus led through serving!

Matthew 20-25-28

25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

If there ever was a person who deserved to be served it was Jesus. Yet His whole life was a life of serving. He was patient. He was kind. In humility He taught His followers. When Jesus extended love to others as an example to how we should live our lives. Heaven will be much like life on earth but without sin. No hatred. No power struggles. No prejudice. 

Jesus loved the “unlovable”.

Women were considered property in His time. Jesus celebrated women.

He cared for the poor. Thee religious considered them punished by God. Jesus loved them.

The tax collectors, despised by the Jews, He invited Ito dinner.

All were welcomed by Jesus. He was full of grace and truth!

John 1:1

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.

Anyone who ask for forgiveness He gave but He never condoned sin. 

Jesus came to seek the lost and  give them truth.

He exposed sin for the purpose of saving them by accepting the grace of God and changing their way of life.

We have a me first value system in America. That is not the way of God.

Ephesians 2:1-3

2 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

When we were dead in our sin and deserving of death Jesus took  them upon Himself. He gave His life for ours!

2 Corinthians 5:14

14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. 16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

In His power He willingly chose to love.

John 1:14-18

The fruit of this union of God  in man gives us His joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. It enables us to have  grace for others and ourselves.

1 John 4:9 |n this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

Maybe we just need to be reminded God is with us. We, too, have God's presence. We do not walk alone. His hand holds us, (Isaiah 41:10) and His love protects us. (Romans 8:38-39) His peace guards us. (Philippians 4:7) No matter what we face, God will be with us. Kayla Ferris “First5” 

Care begins with the intentional choices we make about being present. About passion, grace, play, laughter and wholeheartedness. Sabbath Moments 

John 1:14-18

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. 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.’ ” 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. The New King James Version

This describes how the logos took on human form. This depiction of the logos as a personal being in human flesh is a reversal of the philosophical concept of the logos as an impersonal principle or force. The emphasis on the “flesh” could be an attempt to correct misunderstandings about the humanity of Jesus present in the early church. One of the earliest christological heresies from the second century ad was Docetism, which held that Jesus was fully divine and only appeared human and only appeared to die on the cross. The idea that divine beings could appear in human form was common in the ancient world, so John seems to take extra care to emphasize that Jesus was human, not that He merely appeared in human form. 

Through His Son, God is taking up a post among His people just as He had done for ancient Israel. The glory of Jesus, the Word, is the same as the glory of God the Father. The Greek term monogenēs, meaning “one and only” carries the sense of uniqueness and special beloved status. John’s use of monogenēs foreshadows the emphasis on the intimate relationship between Jesus and God the Father. Jesus is the unique and beloved Son of God, sent from God to fully represent the Father on earth and reveal the Father and His plan for salvation in a previously unparalleled way. The Son reflects the Father perfectly and perfectly carries out His will. The close relationship of Father and Son means their works and will are in perfect unity. 

Two central attributes of the divine character used throughout the old testament are steadfast love and faithfulness. Jesus embodies the ultimate expression of God’s covenant loyalty and unmerited favor toward the world that rejected Him. 

John contrasts Moses with Jesus, emphasizing the superiority of the gospel of Christ to the law of Moses. Throughout his Gospel, John presents Jesus as the fulfillment of old testament expectations. The world will fully see God only as revealed through Jesus. Faithlife Study Bible

The Son of God who was from eternity became human, with limitations in time and space. This is the doctrine of the incarnation: God became human. Nothing of the essential nature of deity was lost in this event; we might rephrase became as “took to Himself.” 

John uses the word flesh to refer to the physical nature of humans, not to our sinful disposition. Dwelt comes from the Greek word for tent that was used in the Greek Old Testament for the tabernacle, where the presence of God dwelt. Glory refers to the divine presence. As God manifested His glory in the tabernacle, so Jesus displayed His divine presence before the apostles. 

Only begotten means unique, one of a kind. The same term is used of Isaac, who was not the only physical son of Abraham, but was the unique son of promise. All who trust Christ are born of God. In the Gospel of John, these “born ones” are called children of God, but Jesus Christ is the unique Son of God. He is the only Son who is fully God. He is also full of grace and truth. When God revealed Himself to Moses, He proclaimed Himself to be “abounding in goodness and truth”. As applied to Jesus Christ, this phrase marks Him as the author of perfect redemption and perfect revelation. The NKJV Study Bible

Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Matthew 11:27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Colossians 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,

Ezekiel 20:42–44

Only for His namesake are we saved…Jesus Christ King of kings and Lord of lords. When God sees us, as believers in the salvation that He provided, He sees the righteousness of Jesus.

Our deserved shame for our sins is covered in the blood of Christ. This is amazing Grace.

To recognize God as Lord is to acknowledge that he is sovereign and supreme in the universe. To accept him as Savior is to accept his gift of salvation offered on the cross. To regard him as Father is to go a step further. Ideally, a father is the one in your life who provides and protects. That is exactly what God has done. Now it just falls to us to be trusting children.

So don’t lose heart. God still changes families. Max Lucado

Ezekiel 20:42–44 

42 Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for which I raised My hand in an oath to give to your fathers. 43 And there you shall remember your ways and all your doings with which you were defiled; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight because of all the evils that you have committed. 44 Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have dealt with you for My name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways nor according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel,” says the Lord God.’ ” The New King James Version

The recognition formula emphasizes that Yahweh’s motivation is a desire to make His power known to all. Yahweh didn’t punish them according to what they deserved for their sin. He punished but then saved for the sake of His reputation. Faithlife Study Bible

He will bring the jews to the land of Israel again; and will give them true repentance. They will be overcome with his kindness: the more we know of God’s holiness, the more we see the hateful nature of sin. Those who remain unaffected amidst means of grace, and would live without Christ, like the world around them, may be sure it is the way to destruction. Matthew Henry Commentary

The future repentant, renewed, and regathered Israel will be characterized by: (1) a return to the land of Israel and an acceptable, sacrificial system of worship; (2) a revived, personal knowledge of its sovereign and faithful Lord; (3) a renunciation of former sins; and (4) a recognition that God’s grace governs the nation’s history of sin and salvation. My holy mountain is a reference made to the glorious central location for worship in Israel—Mt. Zion in Jerusalem. NKJV Study Bible

Ezekiel 24:24 Thus Ezekiel is a sign to you; according to all that he has done you shall do; and when this comes, you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.’ ”

Ezekiel 36:22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went.

Ezekiel 36:23 And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.