The Word

 

I've been meditating on some Biblical principles and words this week:  grace, glory, peace, freedom, truth.  And I've discovered (of course I've known this for a long time but somehow it has struck me in the heart this week) that there are so many false teachings out in our world....in our country.....some look almost identical to true Christianity.....some people appear to be Christ-like and are Christ followers yet they are following man's theology not God's direct Word (the Bible which includes the Old Testament and the New Testament).  I think of people I've  known (Catholics, Jews, Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses) who appear to know Truth yet when we interact and speak of the deep things of Christ....they are missing something...someOne?) They either don't believe in the Trinity, or the Resurrection,or they believe they have to follow a human's doctrine (the Pope, Joseph Smith, Don Adams) vs God's Word which to sum it up shows that we are all born into sin, we need a Redeemer to enter eternal life (heaven)  through the shedding of Jesus' blood on the Cross for our sins, and that He died and rose again so we too can have eternal life....that He IS the Messiah as proclaimed throughout the prophecies of the OT, and that He IS coming back one day as proclaimed throughout the NT). I cringe when someone in my life is working so hard to check off the Christianity boxes (read the Bible, go to church, pray, do good, follow the commandments, give to missions) and yet they are not experiencing freedom in their souls...they aren't living the abundant life Jesus has for us and for which He came. Abundant life doesn't mean material goods!!

Abundant life is the fullness of joy and strength we experience in our body, mind, and soul!

 We are not saved because of our works....we are saved by the blood of Jesus only and by accepting, believing and confessing that He is Lord of Lords and by laying our sins at the foot of the Cross.  It's a free gift, salvation.  And yet so many people I know (including some relatives) think we have to work towards our salvation...that we have to follow a bunch of man-made rules.  NOT TRUE. There is no freedom in that. 

In my Advent readings this week, some of the words I've been meditating on included the word Freedom. It also included the word Word.  God is Word and His Word became flesh! 

It was with words, that God/Jesus created Light....and all of the things we see in creation: animals, plants, humans, the stars/planets. Creation is a revelation of God in a generalized sense...but God's personal message to us is Jesus!! 

So John 1:14 (depicted in the image above) tells us that it is only through Jesus Christ that we are saved....that we experience salvation and the grace of God. "The Word"  is Jesus...the Son of God. and He was with us since the beginning.....(Refer to John 1:1)

So...the "Word"...Jesus..was with God the Father.....and He was God. (get it??)

However, that's not what was really stirring in my heart..that's just the background....

what has been stirring in my soul is that we as Christ followers so often forget that we have true freedom in Christ!!  We talk about peace.....yet we forget that Jesus is the PRINCE OF PEACE!  

Yes we will have trials, troubles, and pain on this earth.  Jesus himself told us that......

yet it is IN HIM that we can attain the peace that passes all understanding of these worldly woes.   Jesus never meant for us to carry our burdens...our trials....alone. We can experience a supernatural peace in our very souls when we  trust in Him and lean on His everlasting Love. 

When we allow Jesus to permeate our very souls......and when we have repented of our sins (and we all sin daily which is why we need our Savior!) we experience peace.  We may be going through a trial...and I know we all have them whether it's something physical, mental, emotional, relational,  or spiritual) yet we can have the inner joy and freedom that comes with God's peace.  It's all about trusting in Jesus and letting Him guide us.  

Those of you who have known me for a long time, know that my life verse is from Proverbs 3:5-6 (pictured above).  I have learned that this is Truth. There is freedom in leaning on Jesus and His direction.  Sometimes it doesn't "feel" like it and that is where our faith comes in.  Trusting and believing even when we don't "feel" it. 

I don't know who needs this message today....but I know that in my own soul I need these reminders.  There is freedom for us in the abundant life Jesus came to give us.  We do not need to follow a checklist; we simply need to follow Christ and His Word.