(From the Women's Bible Study. Join us!)
Prisoners of Hope
Zechariah 9:11-12
Imagine yourself standing on a floor where there are two circles.
One is black, It represents the kingdom of darkness.
The other is white and represents the Kingdom of Light.
Now when one stands in the dark circle, the kingdom of darkness, he is a prisoner of sin.
Can he do any good works, good deeds to remove himself from the kingdom of darkness? Even the good things he does cannot move him out.
No. He is under Adam and original sin. No good works he can perform can remove him from that dark and condemned place,for he is a prisoner there. We understand this part very well.
Only Jesus Christ can set the captives free. Which He DID at the cross.
Now imagine you have been translated from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light.(step into the white circle)
Now you are a prisoner of Hope. Christ Jesus, Himself, has set you free from the law of sin and death.Can you do any evil works, bad deeds to remove yourself from the Kingdom of Light? Cling to the good hope that you are indeed a prisoner of Christ. You cannot escape Him.
No. You are under Christ (One far greater than Adam) Nothing can separate you from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus.
You are now a prisoner of hope. You are favored, no way out of it. You will be blessed no way around it. You are deeply loved, no doubt about it.
If Adam as our federal head can hold us under original sin and the curse, how MUCH MORE the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (our new and better representative) can keep us in His Righteousness and in the blessing. And beloved ones of God, no one can snatch you out of your loving Daddy's hand. No one. You are on your way to blessing beyond measure and Love unfathomable.
But one might say, "The Bible says clearly we can fall from Grace." Galatians 5:4 says we fall from Grace when we attempt to be justified by the law. But when we have been freely justified by Christ Jesus, why would we attempt to be justified by the law? If what we desire (to be righteous before God) has been given to us already why in the world would we be found trying to gain what is already ours? Just receive it gladly and rest in Him. You are declared righteous by Jesus and welcomed into the beloved.
YAY!!!
We looked at the verses describing God as "Abba."
Do you ever think it is a bit too familiar of us to speak to God as our Heavenly Daddy?
He gave us His own Spirit so that we could do just that. So that we could cry out Abba, Daddy.
He wants you to. It is His great desire for you to see Him as your very own loving Heavenly Daddy.
Imagine the child of our Pastor crying out in the night after a nightmare...
Reverend... Pastor Brown, Pastor Brown, cometh now in mercy to my side, IF it be your will.
For I have experienced a nightmare. Forgive me for my lack of courage and embraceth thou me.
We all laughed out loud at the thought!
No! we know Meredith. She would yell, "Daddy!!" "Daddy, come here." And she would expect him to come immediately!
Now we know this too. If our own little child became confused and called out in formal words such as these we would still hurry to the bedside.
So do not be troubled at the form.
If we treat our children with such love and compassion how much more will our wonderful loving Heavenly Daddy
show gentleness and loving kindness to us when we call out to Him, "Daddy God."
Cast ALL your cares upon Him for He cares for you!
--We looked at Psalm 23.
The Lord really is our Shepherd. He will and is leading us and caring for us in every way.
One thing we looked at was the line, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear NO evil for You are with me. Your rod and staff comfort me."
We found in Isaiah 9, 2"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great Light;
those who dwelt in the land of intense darkness and the shadow of death, upon them has the Light shined."
This is why we "shall not fear" because "unto us a Child is born, a Son is given." Isaiah 9,
He is that Great Light that has shined on us. Shine on us forever, Jesus.
And we talked about God's staff, the Gospel, the Bread of Life, which is Jesus.
He does comfort us with His Love and His Presence.
But how are we comforted by the rod or the law of God. Does He beat His own little sheep.
Certainly not. The Good Shepherd uses the rod to beat away the wolves, the evil that would devour us.
The weight of the rod that was for us has been laid on Him already; now it is only for the enemy.
He ever loves and cares for His own not only as a Good Shepherd which is magnificent in itself,
but also as our loving Heavenly Father, our own Daddy God. He loves you; especially you!
SJ
--We looked at Galatians 5: 1-6, Fallen from Grace
The world says a person has fallen from grace when they are messing up.
An alcoholic starts drinking again. A reformed thief returns to thievery.
A person leaves their spouse to find another partner.
These things are bad--that is evident. However that is NOT what the Bible calls fallen from grace.
The scripture says in Galatians 5 verse 4,
"You have become estranged from Christ, You who seek to be justified by the law,
you have fallen from grace."
We see clearly from this verse that the one who is attempting to keep the law by his own effort
is the one who has fallen from grace. The one who finds himself in sin has not fallen from grace.
"Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds" Romans 5:20
If you find yourself in sin, remember that God has set His grace over that very area.
"Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds"
Turn to Him then and there and claim the righteousness of God in Christ over yourself.
There is abundant grace for any and all who will ask and seek it of Christ.
When you see who Christ is and who you are in Him, then you will be more
than conquerors, not only over sin but also over death.
"Those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and the gift of righteousness
reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. "Romans 5:17
May the peace of God and the knowledge of Christ fill your hearts and minds that you might live free and reign in life.
SJ
(From the Women's Bible Study. Join us!)
Prisoners of Hope
Zechariah 9:11-12
Imagine yourself standing on a floor where there are two circles.
One is black, It represents the kingdom of darkness.
The other is white and represents the Kingdom of Light.
Now when one stands in the dark circle, the kingdom of darkness, he is a prisoner of sin.
Can he do any good works, good deeds to remove himself from the kingdom of darkness? Even the good things he does cannot move him out.
No. He is under Adam and original sin. No good works he can perform can remove him from that dark and condemned place,for he is a prisoner there. We understand this part very well.
Only Jesus Christ can set the captives free. Which He DID at the cross.
Now imagine you have been translated from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light.(step into the white circle)
Now you are a prisoner of Hope. Christ Jesus, Himself, has set you free from the law of sin and death.Can you do any evil works, bad deeds to remove yourself from the Kingdom of Light? Cling to the good hope that you are indeed a prisoner of Christ. You cannot escape Him.
No. You are under Christ (One far greater than Adam) Nothing can separate you from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus.
You are now a prisoner of hope. You are favored, no way out of it. You will be blessed no way around it. You are deeply loved, no doubt about it.
If Adam as our federal head can hold us under original sin and the curse, how MUCH MORE the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (our new and better representative) can keep us in His Righteousness and in the blessing. And beloved ones of God, no one can snatch you out of your loving Daddy's hand. No one. You are on your way to blessing beyond measure and Love unfathomable.
But one might say, "The Bible says clearly we can fall from Grace." Galatians 5:4 says we fall from Grace when we attempt to be justified by the law. But when we have been freely justified by Christ Jesus, why would we attempt to be justified by the law? If what we desire (to be righteous before God) has been given to us already why in the world would we be found trying to gain what is already ours? Just receive it gladly and rest in Him. You are declared righteous by Jesus and welcomed into the beloved.
YAY!!!
We looked at the verses describing God as "Abba."
Do you ever think it is a bit too familiar of us to speak to God as our Heavenly Daddy?
He gave us His own Spirit so that we could do just that. So that we could cry out Abba, Daddy.
He wants you to. It is His great desire for you to see Him as your very own loving Heavenly Daddy.
Imagine the child of our Pastor crying out in the night after a nightmare...
Reverend... Pastor Brown, Pastor Brown, cometh now in mercy to my side, IF it be your will.
For I have experienced a nightmare. Forgive me for my lack of courage and embraceth thou me.
We all laughed out loud at the thought!
No! we know Meredith. She would yell, "Daddy!!" "Daddy, come here." And she would expect him to come immediately!
Now we know this too. If our own little child became confused and called out in formal words such as these we would still hurry to the bedside.
So do not be troubled at the form.
If we treat our children with such love and compassion how much more will our wonderful loving Heavenly Daddy
show gentleness and loving kindness to us when we call out to Him, "Daddy God."
Cast ALL your cares upon Him for He cares for you!
--We looked at Psalm 23.
The Lord really is our Shepherd. He will and is leading us and caring for us in every way.
One thing we looked at was the line, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear NO evil for You are with me. Your rod and staff comfort me."
We found in Isaiah 9, 2"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great Light;
those who dwelt in the land of intense darkness and the shadow of death, upon them has the Light shined."
This is why we "shall not fear" because "unto us a Child is born, a Son is given." Isaiah 9,
He is that Great Light that has shined on us. Shine on us forever, Jesus.
And we talked about God's staff, the Gospel, the Bread of Life, which is Jesus.
He does comfort us with His Love and His Presence.
But how are we comforted by the rod or the law of God. Does He beat His own little sheep.
Certainly not. The Good Shepherd uses the rod to beat away the wolves, the evil that would devour us.
The weight of the rod that was for us has been laid on Him already; now it is only for the enemy.
He ever loves and cares for His own not only as a Good Shepherd which is magnificent in itself,
but also as our loving Heavenly Father, our own Daddy God. He loves you; especially you!
SJ
--We looked at Galatians 5: 1-6, Fallen from Grace
The world says a person has fallen from grace when they are messing up.
An alcoholic starts drinking again. A reformed thief returns to thievery.
A person leaves their spouse to find another partner.
These things are bad--that is evident. However that is NOT what the Bible calls fallen from grace.
The scripture says in Galatians 5 verse 4,
"You have become estranged from Christ, You who seek to be justified by the law,
you have fallen from grace."
We see clearly from this verse that the one who is attempting to keep the law by his own effort
is the one who has fallen from grace. The one who finds himself in sin has not fallen from grace.
"Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds" Romans 5:20
If you find yourself in sin, remember that God has set His grace over that very area.
"Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds"
Turn to Him then and there and claim the righteousness of God in Christ over yourself.
There is abundant grace for any and all who will ask and seek it of Christ.
When you see who Christ is and who you are in Him, then you will be more
than conquerors, not only over sin but also over death.
"Those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and the gift of righteousness
reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. "Romans 5:17
May the peace of God and the knowledge of Christ fill your hearts and minds that you might live free and reign in life.
SJ