For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but that through Him the world could be saved! John 3:16-17
Faith in God and the salvation that He gifted mankind frees us to love Him and to be transformed into the character of Jesus. Holy Spirit is the person who can change us, precept by precept, into the Son of His love.
2 Timothy 4:7-8 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Of the 5 of those closest to Him, 3 were women, Mary Magdalene, Mary and her sister Martha. He chose them. In Him and going against the culture of the Jews Jesus chose the marginalized. In salvation there is neither male nor female, Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free. We are one in Christ Jesus. Carla
Paul understood the eternal potential of a lifetime of faithful service to Christ. Jesus would return with rewards for those who stick it out over the long haul. The crown of righteousness is a special reward given to those who serve God faithfully on this earth (Matthew 5:10–12). There will be as many crowns as there are runners who finish the race well. All who have loved His appearing are those believers in Christ who have lived faithfully in the hope of His return (Titus 2:11–15; 1 John 2:28). The NKJV Study Bible
Paul’s use of athletic imagery seems to suggest that he expects to die soon. Even in such dire circumstances, Paul considers himself victorious because he remained faithful to God. Faithlife Study Bible
Worship can become stilted when we focus on our place before Yahweh instead of His natural and rightful place. We’re meant to view Yahweh for who He is and what He has done, and to respond to His work by helping others.
Jesus demonstrated a similar point in His own ministry. He could have kept His disciples with Him day and night, but instead He sent them on their way to do God’s will (Mark 6:6–13). For Jesus, teaching was a means to an end. Everything the disciples had learned up to that point would carry them in the ministry work they were about to do. They weren’t meant to hoard their knowledge or focus on learning for learning’s sake. Instead, teaching led to action.
We, too, must follow worship with actions. When we learn, we must act upon what we have learned. Anything that stays in a vacuum is useless. It’s only when we apply what God is doing in our lives that we live up to our calling in Him. Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A One-Year Daily Devotional with Bible Reading Plan.
In the words of Hafiz of Shiraz, “I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being.”
And the verb, know.
Internalize what you now see, and act on it. Victor Frankl’s reminder, “The one thing you can’t take away from me is the way I choose to respond... The last of one’s freedoms is to choose one’s attitude in any given circumstance.”
Yes. As a pilgrim, which applies to every single one of us, “Choose, to take a step.”
We heal and find wholeness when we respond to the invitation and permission to embrace the sacred in each moment, leading a life that keeps our heart and soul awake every day.
Here’s the deal: Today, give me a transformed and undefended heart. (Thank you Saint Augustine). “Sabbath Moments”
May I walk this day
in the realm of grace,
walking with You
my feet firmly on your earth-path,
my heart loving all as kindred,
my words and deeds alive with justice.
May I walk as blessing,
meeting blessing at every turn
in every challenge, blessing,
in all opposition, blessing,
in harm’s way, blessing.
May I walk each step in this moment of grace,
alert to hear You
and awake enough to say
a simple Yes.
Robert Corin Morris
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