LIVING FOR JESUS --- Daily Devotional
April 12 / Day 44
365 Prayers to JESUS
Jesus, a new day — thanks to You — a new opportunity to live as you intended full of Mercy and Grace. Lord Jesus, each day as I think about Your Sacrifice for my sake I am overwhelmed that God “so loved the world” that He would do such great a thing as Sacrifice His Only Begotten as “The Atonement” for the sins of a world that thinks so much “evil” in our hearts! Lord forgive me daily of my transgressions and let me walk in newness of life in the Power and Strength of Jesus Christ.
The Jesus Questions
JQ#9 - The Holy Spirit pointed out in my reading today the “Summary” of JQ#1-8. “You are the light of the world…” (Matthew 5:14) gives us a realization of what our purpose is if we listen to Jesus. Jesus next calls His listeners to “…be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect…” (Matthew 5:46) and Jesus tells us that we will attain this “perfection” only by loving the world, the whole world - “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44) Jesus immediately says that the reward for living our lives as He commands is great: [that] “you may be sons [and daughters] of your Father in heaven…” Jesus is both instructing how we should “Choose” to live our lives [“love your enemies”] and declaring the “Consequence of our Choice” [we become heirs to our “Father’s {kingdom} in heaven”] as an introduction to the “Law of Choice and Consequences” with which Jesus teaches us that we can “choose” our action with our Free Will Gift from God but the “results” of each “action” we must “accept” for God has established the “Laws” by which all of creation must abide by! Jesus follows the command to love with instructions how to pray [see Matthew 6:9-13. In succession Jesus has taught that to be the “light of the world” (which was God’s original solution to darkness [see Genesis 1-5 key verse: Genesis 1:3]) that we will need to be “perfect” like the Father and “love” like the Father and to be successful in being like God we must “pray” to the “Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:9). Jesus continues His “questions/lessons” with instructions “not to worry” (Matthew 6:25) and throws in that the focal point of our success will be when we “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…” Matthew 6:33. Jesus adds a companion to “do not worry” with “do not judge”. It is interesting to note that Jesus says the “Consequence” of our “Choice” to “Worry” is completely futile and will gain us nothing because we have no “power” to change anything we worry about because God has it already figured out (Matthew 6:32) but the “Consequence” of our “judging” will be measured out to us as we measure out judgement to others! (Matthew 7:2) Jesus continues with assuring us that our Good Father will treat us as sons and daughters and to trust that our “Father who is in heaven [will] give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11). Jesus adds that we will be known not by our words but by our actions: “Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” (Matthew 7:20) The key to bearing good fruit is to plant ourselves in God and to build our foundation of faith in God on the “solid rock” (Matthew 7:23), for the Son was sent to reveal the Father to us. Jesus demonstrates His Power given Him by the Father by not only healing the physical problems we have but also the spiritual problems and Jesus showed He has power over creation when He calmed the “winds and the waves” (Matthew 8:26) and encourages us to “believe that [Jesus] is able to do [these things]” (Matthew 9:28). Jesus concludes the introduction (JQ#1-8) by telling us that He is recruiting “laborers” to send “into the Father’s harvest.” (Matthew 9:38). Are you ready to learn “how” to labor in the “Father’s Harvest”?
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