Word in Christ

"Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). It is a wonderful privilege to kneel at the crib with the shepherds and the magi but the person who does not look beyond the crib has not even begun to understand the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus was born to die and we must already see the shadow of the cross on Golgotha. We must see the Child suffering and hear Him cry out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46) before we can understand the real meaning of Immanuel - God with us. The American author Fredrick Beuchner gives us an interpretation of the nativity scene through the eyes of one of the magi,  We weren't there long, but let me tell you, we already saw it on His face, there, that evening... death, His death. It was like a crown on His head- this death that He would die. And we knew, that night, that to stay with Him would mean looking for trouble. It would m...

"Whatever you did for the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me" (Matthew 25:40). Joy is sure to follow because you cannot give someone roses without their fragrance clinging to your hand as well. O Christ, make me an instrument of Your joy and peace this Christmas season Amen.   Solly Ozrovech

Abide. Abide. Abide. Jesus repeatedly draws our attention to this principle in our spiritual lives. The purpose of our lives is to glorify God by bearing fruit as we do the works that Jesus did. And Jesus desires that every disciple bears fruit. God is glorified when we live holy lives, obey His commands and give witness to the resurrection of Christ. It's only possible to accomplish this goal through abiding in Christ. Only then does the power and life of Christ flow through us producing the kind of fruit that makes a lasting difference. A branch cannot produce fruit by itself. Without the life of the vine within it, the branch will just shrivel up and die.  If you aren't bearing fruit, you are not fulfilling God's purpose for your life. On one occasion when Jesus was going to the Temple, He passed by a fig tree with many leaves. Jesus was hungry and wanted to eat the fruit from that tree, but there was none. There were only leaves, so He cursed the tree. The d...

When she arrived home, she found her little girl lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone. (Mark 7:30) The Syrophoenician woman, also called the Canaanite woman, was a Gentile (non-Jew) with a demon-possessed daughter. It was hard for the mother to care for her child, and sometimes the situation seemed hopeless. There was nothing that could be done to free the girl from her torment. The mother had heard of Jesus' power to heal and went to him. She told him about her daughter and asked him to heal the little girl. Jesus said, "First I should feed the children  – my own family, the Jews. It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs" (Mark 7:27). Jesus meant he should care for the Jews first, and this woman was a Gentile. The woman was desperate. She wasn't willing to give up so easily, because Jesus was the only hope for her daughter. The woman answered, "That's true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat t...

For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do   – this I keep on doing (Romans 7:19). Somebody once asked St. Francis of Assisi how it was possible for him to do so much for the Lord. He answered, "The Lord God looked down from heaven and asked, 'Where can I find the weakest and most insignificant person on earth?' Then God saw me and said, 'I'll work through him; he will never become proud because he will know that I'm using him because of his insignificance." Gracious Lord, please heal me from my sin that, as Your child, I can be whole. Amen. Solly Ozrovech      

We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us (2 Corinthians 4:7). Eastern kings of ancient times used to store all their treasures in earthen pots. A crude tin lamp can cast a bright light and a tattered book can contain lofty thoughts  − in the same way these plain earthen pots became the bearers of precious treasures. This is exactly what it is like in the kingdom of God: plain fishermen became disciples; the bearers of God's treasures. Paul compares our lives to these earthen vessels in which we carry the glorious message of the Gospel of Christ. Life surrounds us with problems and obstacles, while Christ surrounds us with His glory. The earthen vessel is the image of human frailty and mortality, of fallibility, contamination and impurity, but it is also an image of the Potter's ability to recreate our lives with His hands, to the glory of God. When God calls us as disciples, we shrink back because we are so intense...

"Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). Far too often God's Word is read haphazardly, even by His committed children. It is almost as if the Bible has become a good luck charm or just a document. Treating the Bible in this disrespectful and disconcerting way has not only impoverished the church, but has also resulted in spiritual shallowness in many believers. It is the direct result of disobedience and lack of discipline. The Bible is not an anthology containing interesting proverbs and speculative theological suggestions. No, it is God's Word, conveying a true message and it should be read in a disciplined, logical manner. It comes directly from God and His power emanates from it when it is fully understood. Amos R. Wells expressed it as follows: I supposed I knew my Bible, reading piecemeal, hit and miss, Now a bit of John or Matthew, now a snatch of Genesis; certain chapters of Isaiah, certain Psalms (t...

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted" (Matthew 5:4). Just before our Lord's ascension He was deeply aware of His disciples' sadness at the prospect of His departure. They were stunned but Jesus understood man's need and He promised them a Helper,  "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever  – the Spirit of truth" (John 14:16-17). Sadness and sorrow are concrete realities. How well do we not know that! That is why these words spoken by the Lord are such a glorious comfort. He was indeed the Man of Sorrows, who was well acquainted with grief. Is there need or shortage in your home? Jesus didn't even have a place where He could lay His head (Luke 9:58). Have friends disappointed you? His friends betrayed Him (Luke 22:48 and 58). Do you battle with sorrow? In Gethsemane Jesus experienced such anguish that His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:39-46). Are ...

Celebrate Jesus John 13:1-17 Jesus reveals a new way of exercising authority through love, service and humility. In this dramatic way, he bridges the gap between those in leadership and those under their leadership. Forgiveness the washing and cleansing is a sign of forgiveness  − cleansing from sin. Foot-washing is a picture of what Jesus is about to do on the cross for them (v.7). Through Jesus' death for you, you are totally forgiven. Why then does Jesus teach us to pray regularly for forgiveness? I find the most helpful analogy and picture is the one given here. When Jesus moved to wash Peter's feet, Peter said, "No, you shall never wash my feet," Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me" (v.8). Peter replied, in effect, 'Well, in that case, wash my whole body.' Jesus said, 'Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean' (v.10). This is a picture of forgiveness. When y...

The Lord Forgives And Forgets Praise the Lord, who forgives all our sins and heals all your diseases (Psalm 103:2-3).  Billy Graham said that God casts our sins into the depths of the ocean. But we take a boat and row to that spot to do some fishing! I gratefully accept Your forgiveness, O Lord. I remind myself continually of this fact and cannot stop thanking You. Amen. Solly Ozrovech

Luke 24:39 'Look at my hands and feet.' Even after his resurrection he still carries the scars of his suffering into eternity.   Nicky Gumbel

"Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33). Some people tend to become disheartened because they badly want to rectify every wrong in the world. They believe that their convictions and doctrines will solve every problem of our time. In their zeal they forget that imperfection is part of humankind's sinful nature and that we are living in a world torn apart by sin. It is impossible to create a new world without regenerated people. It is also useless to try and change if your relationship with God is not right. The best place to start reforming and healing this world, is with you. Draw a circle next to your bed, kneel in the circle and beg God to start revival within that circle. It is not easy to accept the fact that unless you find yourself living in harmony with God, influencing others positively is impossible. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21). We have to b...

FAITH Have you ever been in a situation when suddenly, without warning, your life seems to be hit by a storm of hurricane proportions (4:37, AMP)? The sea of Galilee was notorious for sudden storms. The disciples knew that waves of that size could overturn their boat and take their lives. Yet, Jesus was asleep (v.38). Sometimes when the storms come it appears that God is not doing anything. He does not seem to be answering your prayers or even listening to you. In times like this, your faith is being tested. Eventually, Jesus calms the storm. He addresses the power behind the storms with words someone might use to a puppy: 'Quiet! Be still!' (v.39), showing he is Lord over nature. For the disciples, the passage starts with fear and ends with faith. A crisis tests your faith. Jesus wants you to learn to conquer your fears and trust him even in the middle of the storms of life. Next, Jesus demonstrates that he is Lord over the powers that try to destroy our lives...

God's incomparably great power When the New Testament writers speak of God's love they point to the cross. When they speak of God's power they point to the resurrection. God's 'incomparably great power' was 'exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead' (Ephesians 1:19 –20 ). The risen Jesus says to his disciples, 'All authority (all power to rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to me' (Matthew 28:18, AMP). The resurrection means that the risen Jesus is present with you now. Jesus continues, 'I am with you always' (v.20). The result of the resurrection is not only his power and his presence but also his provision. Nicky Gumbel

Hope painting by Frederick Watts We do not want you to ... grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). The word "hope" is used to describe various perceptions. We say, "I hope the price of gold will go up"; or "My husband is sick, I hope he will be better soon." In these cases hope expresses our everyday expectations. However, it also has another meaning: in the Tate Art Gallery in London hangs a striking painting by Frederick Watts. The title of the painting is "Hope". A beautiful woman is sitting on the globe. She is blindfolded and in her hand she holds a lute. All but one of the strings is broken. The woman sits bent forward touching the one string with her finger, listening. She is filled with hope  – believing the best in the worst possible circumstances. As long as Christian hope is alive, life cannot break us; we will not go down under the weight of our problems and afflictions. We know that God is a...

Where there is a way, there is a will |The truth about finding God's will (Message) - Tauren Wells  https://youtu.be/HsAG9-opEo4