There Is A Short Story at The End of This Inspirational Reading That I Want to Share with You. Listen To How Jesus Himself Describes His Rescue Mission For You And Me. The Dangers Of Hell Are Real. What Does Jesus Say About This & What Are We Missing

 There Is A Story at The End of This Inspirational Reading That I Want to Share with You. Read in its entirety.

2 Corinthians 6:2, “For He says, In the time of favor (of an assured welcome) I have listened to and heeded your call, and I have helped you on the day of deliverance (the day of salvation). Behold, now is truly the time for a gracious welcome and acceptance [of you from God]; behold, now is the day of salvation!” (AMPC)

It was 3:00 A.M. in the multi-family house in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and a fire started as fifteen residents slept. A Deputy Fire Chief was first on the scene. He arrived alone in his car and discovered a building ablaze with its residents unaware of the deadly danger. The chief realized he did not have time to put on his usual protective gear. Minutes were precious at a time like this, so he rushed into that burning building and began pounding on doors and screaming for people to get up and get out. One older man was unable to get out by himself, so this valiant rescuer carried him down the stairs, out to the street and then went in for more. All fifteen people got out alive. However, the man who saved their lives did not! 

One man gave his life so others would not die. I owe my life to someone just like that. Matthew 20:28, "Just as the Son of Man came not to be waited on but to serve, and to GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY [the price paid to set them free]." (AMPCThe rescuer who gave His life so I and many others like me would not have to die eternally for the wrong things we have done. It is what the Bible calls sin (rebellion against the God who made us). 

It is a spiritual death penalty that hangs over the head of every one of us, because the Bible says that by God's holy standards, "There is no one righteous, not even one" (Romans 3:10). Which kicks in the head the false hope of somehow, I am going to pay for my sin by doing a lot of good things. It will never be enough. That is why God sent the Rescuer: Luke 11:4, “And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us [who has offended us or done us wrong]. And bring us not into temptation but RESCUE us from evil.” (AMPC); 2 Corinthians 1:10, “[For it is He] Who RESCUED and saved us from such a perilous death, and He will still RESCUE and save us; in and on Him we have set our hope (our joyful and confident expectation) that He will again deliver us [from danger and destruction and draw us to Himself],” (AMPC); Galatians 1:4,

Because God is holy, our sins cannot be ignored, nor the penalty excused. If any human judge did that, he would not be worthy to be a judge anymore. 

But because God is love, He did not want you and me to pay that awful, hellish penalty, even though we deserve it. So, He sent the only one who could be perfect and have no sin of His own to pay for. 2 Corinthians 5:21, “FOR OUR SAKE HE MADE CHRIST [VIRTUALLY] TO BE SIN WHO KNEW NO SIN, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].” (AMPC)

The Father sent His only Son, Jesus. And He went into that burning building we were in, and He did what it took to get us out and laid down His life to do it. John 3:16-17, “For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that HE [EVEN] GAVE UP HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN (UNIQUE) SON, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) BUT HAVE ETERNAL (EVERLASTING) LIFE. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, BUT THAT THE WORLD MIGHT FIND SALVATION AND BE MADE SAFE AND SOUND THROUGH HIM.” (AMPC); John 15:13, “No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to LAY DOWN (GIVE UP) HIS OWN LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.” (AMPC); Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.” (AMPC); Romans 10:9-10, “Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and, in your heart, believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, YOU WILL BE SAVED. For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation.” (AMPC)

Listen To How Jesus Himself Describes His Rescue Mission For You And Me In John 10, Beginning With Verse 10. He says, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. I lay down my life; no one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord." Let us read a bit more from this same chapter: “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep. But the hired servant (he who merely serves for wages) who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away. And the wolf chases and snatches them and scatters [the flock]. Now the hireling flees because he merely serves for wages and is not himself concerned about the sheep [cares nothing for them]. I am the Good Shepherd; and I know and recognize My own, and My own know and recognize Me—Even as [truly as] the Father knows Me, and I also know the Father—and I am giving My [very own] life and laying it down on behalf of the sheep. And I have other sheep [beside these] that are not of this fold. I must bring and impel those also; and they will listen to My voice and heed My call, and so there will be [they will become] one flock under one Shepherd. For this [reason] the Father loves Me, because I lay down My [own] life—to take it back again. No one takes it away from Me. On the contrary, I lay it down voluntarily. [I put it from Myself.] I am authorized and have power to lay it down (to resign it) and I am authorized and have power to take it back again. These are the instructions (orders) which I have received [as My charge] from My Father.” (vss. 11-18 AMPC)

You and I are like that man in the burning building in the above story who could not get himself out, and likewise, we cannot get ourselves out either. We must let Jesus carry us to safety. Which means you must reach for Him, put your arms around Him, and trust only Him to save you. Have you ever done that? If so, that is amazing, and I am glad to call you my brothers and sisters in Christ! But, if not, you are still in sin's burning building with time running out! 1 Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud cry of summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the blast of the trumpet of God. And those who have departed this life in Christ will rise first.” (AMPC); 1 Corinthians 15:52, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the [sound of the] last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [in Christ] will be raised imperishable (free and immune from decay), and we shall be changed (transformed).” (AMPC); Matthew 24:29-31, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and beat their breasts and lament in anguish, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory [in brilliancy and splendor]. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect (His chosen ones) from the four winds, [even] from one end of the universe to the other.” (AMPC); Luke 19:44, “And they will dash you down to the ground, you [Jerusalem] and your children within you; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, [all] because you did not come progressively to recognize and know and understand [from observation and experience] the time of your visitation [that is, when God was visiting you, the time in which God showed Himself gracious toward you and offered you salvation through Christ].” (AMPC)

It is not enough just to know that Jesus died to save you. No, you have got to put your total trust in Him to save you, and to save you now, today, this very moment! The time of His return is sooner than before, and tomorrow is not promised to no man! James 4:13-14, “Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a city and spend a year there and carry on our business and make money. Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen tomorrow. What is the nature of your life? You are [really] but a wisp of vapor (a puff of smoke, a mist) that is visible for a little while and then disappears [into thin air].” (AMPC); Proverbs 27:1, “Do not boast of [yourself and] tomorrow, for you know not what a day may bring forth.” (AMPC)

There is no time to waste, this could be your day of rescue! This could be the day every sin you have ever done could be forgiven. This is the day your hell could be cancelled. 2 Corinthians 6:2, “For He says, In the time of favor (of an assured welcome) I have listened to and heeded your call, and I have helped you on the day of deliverance (the day of salvation). Behold, now is truly the time for a gracious welcome and acceptance [of you from God]; behold, now is the day of salvation!” (AMPC)

Grabbing Jesus to save you means you tell Him, "Jesus, you're my only hope, and I'm Yours." If you have never done that, please do not wait another day. That act of faith brings you to safety in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. THE GREATEST TRAGEDY OF ALL WOULD BE IF JESUS GAVE HIS LIFE SO YOU COULD LIVE, AND YOU LIVED AND DIED WITHOUT HIM, PAYING A PENALTY HE ALREADY PAID. The Rescuer has come to you. He is knocking on the door of your heart. Grab Him while you can. Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears and listens to and heeds My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and will eat with him, and he [will eat] with Me.” (AMPC)

Now, if ever you did not feel loved, today should be the day that you embrace just how loved you are. Remember this part of the above story: “…Minutes were precious at a time like this, so he rushed into that burning building and began pounding on doors and screaming for people to get up and get out. One older man was unable to get out by himself, so this valiant rescuer carried him down the stairs, out to the street and then went in for more. All fifteen people got out alive. However, the man who saved their lives did not!” 

This rescuer did not even have time to put on protective gear before heading into a burning building to save lives. He simply responded as any first responders would. He sees and knows the dangers and screams for everyone to get up and get out. But then he takes it a step further because there is a man who cannot get out of danger by himself and so the rescuer carries him out of danger and saves his life…even though his heroic sacrifice took his own life. Sounds so much like our loving Savior Jesus. The dangers of hell are real and He of all people knows it. Matthew 16:18, “And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros—a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, Petra—a huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build My church, AND THE GATES OF HADES (THE POWERS OF THE INFERNAL REGION) SHALL NOT OVERPOWER IT [OR BE STRONG TO ITS DETRIMENT OR HOLD OUT AGAINST IT].” (AMPC); Revelation 1:18, “And the Ever-living One [I am living in the eternity of the eternities]. I died, but see, I am alive forevermore; and I POSSESS THE KEYS OF DEATH AND HADES (THE REALM OF THE DEAD).” (AMPC) Jesus built up His church and not even hell would take it down, why? Because Jesus possesses the keys of death and hades! Now, you would think that Jesus possessing the keys of hell would be enough for Him, but He goes on to say: Matthew 16:19, “I WILL GIVE YOU THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must be what is already bound in heaven; and whatever you lose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven.” (AMPC) Jesus does not just possess the keys of hell, but He wants us to possess some keys too, the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven! See, you are not to be possessed by hell, you are to belong to Jesus who possesses the keys of hell, so you can stay hell-free! Jesus took the keys of hell, now you take the Keys to the Kingdom!

Let today be your day of salvation! Receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior! And should you already be saved, let this devotional encourage you to encourage someone else to receive Jesus Christ! Do not wait; do not hesitate; to procrastinate; do not delay. Tomorrow is NOT promised! While you have today, receive Him today! Receive His Lifesaving Love Today! The Time is NOW!

The Only Begotten Son of God

There is one doctrine that all the others rest upon. It is the rock bottom, foundation of the Christian faith: Jesus of Nazareth is the only begotten* Son of God. Without this core belief, all the others are meaningless. Christianity stands upon the person of Jesus of Nazareth as the only begotten Son from eternity past and into the future forever. He is unique because He is the only begotten Son of God.

A STORY THAT I WANT TO SHARE:

TAKE MY SON!

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door.

A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, Sir, you do not know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart, and he died instantly... He often talked about you, and your love for art.

The young man held out this package. I know this is not much. I am not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this. The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It is a gift.

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home; he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings. and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. We will start the bidding with this picture of the son.  Who will bid for this picture?

There was silence... Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, we want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one. But the auctioneer persisted. Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200; Another voice angrily. We did not come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh & the Rembrandts. Get on with the Real bids!

But still the auctioneer continued, The son! The son! Who will take the son? Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the long-time gardener of the man and his son. I will give $10 for the painting; Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. We have $10, who will bid $20? Give it to him for $10. Let us see the masters. The crowd was becoming angry. They did not want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. Going once, twice, SOLD for $10! A man sitting on the second row shouted, Now let us get on with the collection!

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. I am sorry, the auction is over. What about the paintings? I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will... I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The Man Who Took the Son Gets Everything!

God Gave His Son Over 2,000 Years Ago to Die on The Cross. Much Like the Auctioneer, His Message Today Is: The Son, The Son, Who Will Take the Son?

Because, You See, Whoever Takes the Son Gets Everything!

Jesus Knows That Hell Is Real And I Believe We Are Missing The Fact That “Whoever Takes The Son Gets Everything.” Eternal Life. Did You Read That. You Get Everything! We Have To Remember This And Not Lose Our Focus. Let Greed & Power Stay Where They Are, Everything That Glitter Is Not Gold. Not Every Opportunity That Knocks At Your Door Is from God. Satan Loves To Disguise himself As Good. Be Aware & Discerning.

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON,

WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE...THAT’s LOVE?

If You Are Walking With God & Holding Hands With The Devil, If You Are Lost, If You Need To Renew Your Vow To Him And If You Need To Repent, What Are You Saying to God, “Not Today, Lord, Not Now? How Are You Going to Respond Today?

J.P. Olson

www.thewordwithjpolson.org

Many Of Us Have Faith, But This Is The Year Of Faith Expansion! This Is The Year That Our Faith Is Going To Grow To The Point That We Simply Believe God No Matter The Situation Or Circumstance. Our Faith Will Be Unwavering And Unmovable!

Many Of Us Have Faith, But This Is The Year Of Faith Expansion! This Is The Year That Our Faith Is Going To Grow To The Point That We Simply Believe God No Matter The Situation Or Circumstance. Our Faith Will Be Unwavering And Unmovable! We Will Not Allow Doubts; Fears; Lack Of Faith; Nervousness; Panic Attacks And Anxiety To Shake Our Faith! This Year,

Mark 6:1-6, “Jesus left there and went to His hometown, accompanied by His disciples. When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were amazed. Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given Him? What are these remarkable miracles He is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” HE COULD NOT DO ANY MIRACLES THERE, EXCEPT LAY HIS HANDS ON A FEW SICK PEOPLE AND HEAL THEM. HE WAS AMAZED AT THEIR LACK OF FAITH...” (AMPC)

I have friends who really love to fish! So, in their honor I have got to tell you this great fisherman story. It seems that two men were out fishing in separate boats. And one was watching the other with growing curiosity because he would catch a fish, he would keep it, then he would catch another fish and he would throw that one away. And he just kept doing this, catch after catch. The strange part was that it was always the BIG ones that he threw away. The other fisherman could not help but wonder, what kind of fisherman is this? Well, finally, the man watching all of that could not contain his curiosity any longer, so he called out the obvious question, "How come you're throwing away the BIG ones?" The man answered, "Oh, because I only have an eight-inch frying pan!"

Really?!

Wouldn’t it have made better sense to simply buy a larger frying pan? One that made room for something BIGGER!

I guess if small is what you are prepared for, then small is all you will ever get. Well, that is what the people of Nazareth found out when Jesus came home. In Mark 6:1-6, the Bible says, "Jesus left and returned to his hometown with his disciples. The next Sabbath he taught in the Jewish meeting place. Many of the people who heard him were amazed and asked, “How can he do all this? Where did he get such wisdom and the power to work these miracles? Isn’t he the carpenter, the son of Mary? Aren’t James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon his brothers? Don’t his sisters still live here in our town?” The people were very unhappy because of what he was doing. But Jesus said, “Prophets are honored by everyone, except the people of their hometown and their relatives and their own family. “JESUS COULD NOT WORK ANY MIRACLES THERE, EXCEPT TO HEAL A FEW SICK PEOPLE BY PLACING HIS HANDS ON THEM...” (CEV)

The King James Version says it bluntly, "HE COULD DO NO MIGHTY WORK THERE BECAUSE OF THEIR UNBELIEF." WOW!

Look at Mark 6:5-6 in a few translations:

“So, Jesus could do no powerful works there. But He did put His hands on a FEW sick people and healed them. He WONDERED because they had no faith...” (NLV)

“Now He COULD DO NO mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a FEW sick people and healed them. And He MARVELED because of their UNBELIEF...” (NKJV)

“So, Jesus was NOT ABLE TO WORK ANY miracles there except to heal a FEW sick people by putting his hands on them. He was AMAZED at how many people had NO FAITH...” (NCV)

“And He was NOT ABLE TO DO EVEN ONE WORK OF POWER THERE, except that He laid His hands on a FEW sickly people [and] cured them. And He MARVELED because of their UNBELIEF (THEIR LACK OF FAITH IN HIM) ...” (AMPC)

Let me tell you, it is a scary incident for those of us who are regular church goers. Because the people who knew the MOST about Jesus back then expected the LEAST and they got it! “…except that He laid His hands on a FEW sickly people [and] cured them...” Can you imagine? Jesus (all powerful) is during them, in their very presence, and all He could do was heal a FEW people! They had an exceedingly small frying pan, and it was not BIG enough for the kinds of things Jesus could do! NAZARETH WAS THE ONE PLACE JESUS WENT WHERE THEY HAD TO SETTLE FOR THE NATURAL AND MISS THE SUPERNATURAL. And the scary part is that today we are Nazareth! We Bible-believers, we are the ones who know a lot about Jesus, just like His neighbors in Nazareth. We analyze things just like they did. But those kinds of people are often so close, so used to Jesus, they put Him in a box, limiting Him to work the way they have always seen Him work before, or the way they think He ought to work. I will tell you; He will not stay in our limited little box! There is nothing Jesus cannot do, and yet, here, in His own hometown, among people He knew and those who knew Him, He could not do any more than heal a few folks! They missed out on receiving the “mighty miracles and mighty works” and instead their unbelief caused them to settle for receiving small from a BIG God!

“Unbelief” is defined as “skepticism especially in matters of religious faith”. “Skepticism” is defined as “a person inclined to question or doubt accepted opinions; a person who doubts the truth of Christianity and other religions; an atheist.” Its Greek origin ‘skeptikos’, from ‘skepsis’ literally means ‘inquiry; doubt’. “Disbelief” is defined as “inability or refusal to accept that something is true or real; lack of faith.” In case you were unaware, this is NOT to be the mindset of believers! We do not have to question our God, and even when we do not always understand Him, we yet trust Him! We are NOT to be a people who walk in doubt, disbelief, or a lack faith! Quite the contrary, we walk BY faith!

2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we WALK BY FAITH [we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus, WE WALK] NOT BY SIGHT OR APPEARANCE.” (AMPC)

As believers our lifestyle, mindset, and conduct are all to hold the conviction of walking by faith! We do not focus on sight or appearance; we focus on our God! We do not allow disbelief to distract us! Hebrews 12:1-3, “Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, LOOKING AWAY [FROM ALL THAT WILL DISTRACT] TO JESUS, WHO IS THE LEADER AND THE SOURCE OF OUR FAITH [GIVING THE FIRST INCENTIVE FOR OUR BELIEF] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds.” (AMPC)

Let this serve as our encouragement to trust God no matter what or who we are facing! Regardless of the tests, the diagnosis, the financial struggles (God is still able to do something BIG on your behalf)!

We do not want to position ourselves where Jesus is “amazed, marveled, surprised and appalled” at our unbelief! Instead, let us pray that God increases our faith (Luke 17:5, “The apostles said to the Lord, INCREASE OUR FAITH (that trust and confidence that spring from our belief in God).” (AMPC); renews our hope (Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, To Give You Hope In Your Final Outcome.” (AMPC); deepens our trust (Proverbs 3:5-6, “Lean on, TRUST IN, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.” (AMPC); and strengthens our conviction (Hebrews 10:35, “Do Not, Therefore, Fling Away Your Fearless Confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward.” AMPC)

Let this be the year of not just renewed faith, but increased faith. We lived by our mustard seed faith long enough in many areas of our lives. And do not get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with mustard seed faith! (Matthew 17:20, “He said to them, Because of the LITTLENESS OF YOUR FAITH [that is, your lack of firmly relying on trust]. For truly I say to you, if you have Faith [That Is Living] Like A Grain Of Mustard Seed, You Can Say To This Mountain, Move From Here To Yonder Place, And It Will Move; And Nothing Will Be Impossible To You.” AMPC) Yes, mustard seed faith can move mountains, but our faith should be growing and not stagnant at the same level as when we first believed! We need a faith that grows and levels up! Romans 1:17, “For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both Springing From Faith And Leading To Faith [Disclosed Through The Way Of Faith That Arouses To More Faith]. As it is written, the man who through FAITH is just and upright shall live and shall live by FAITH.” (AMPC) Last year will be the LAST YEAR that we walk in fear instead of faith! Whether there is a layoff; a diagnosis; the loss of a loved one; the car wrecks; the lights are shut off; WE WILL WALK BY FAITH, AND WE’LL EVEN WALK IN INCREASED FAITH AS THE MONTHS GO BY!

Let us cry out collectively this year, “LORD, HELP MY UNBELIEF!” Mark 9:24, “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; HELP THOU MINE UNBELIEF.” (KJV)

“At once the father of the boy gave [an eager, piercing, inarticulate] cry with tears, and he said, LORD, I BELIEVE! [CONSTANTLY] HELP MY WEAKNESS OF FAITH!” (AMPC)

Mark 11:23-24, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!’ AND DOES NOT DOUBT IN HIS HEART [IN GOD’S UNLIMITED POWER] BUT BELIEVES THAT WHAT HE SAYS IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE, IT WILL BE DONE FOR HIM [IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOD’S WILL].  For this reason, I am telling you, whatever things you ask for in prayer [in accordance with God’s will], BELIEVE [WITH CONFIDENT TRUST] that you have received them, and they will be given to you.” (AMPC)

Romans 4:18-22, “[For Abraham, human reason for] hope being gone, HOPED IN FAITH that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been promised, so [numberless] shall your descendants be. HE DID NOT WEAKEN IN FAITH when he considered the [utter] impotence of his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or [when he considered] the barrenness of Sarah’s [deadened] womb. No Unbelief Or Distrust Made Him Waver (Doubtingly Question) Concerning The Promise Of God, But He Grew Strong And Was Empowered By Faith as he gave praise and glory to God, fully satisfied, and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised. THAT IS WHY HIS FAITH WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS (RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD).” (AMPC)

Today, be encouraged! No matter what you face, God is there to face it with you, and He will ALWAYS be BIGGER than anything you face! So whatever requests you need to make of God this year, make them BIGGER! Why? Because He’s BIGGER! Abraham had big, wide, and deep faith that was unshakeable, unmovable, and unquestioning! He simply believed that the Promises of God are still Yay and Amen! And those same Promises are yours too! I reiterate, whatever small request you were going to make of God…MAKE IT BIGGER! Do Not Allow Disbelief to Insult Your God!

In Mark 6, Jesus could do no miracles and only heal a few due to Unbelief. Just imagine the size of the Miracles He COULD do, and the Many Healing's He COULD accomplish if you would simply Believe!

Remember the opening story? It is not that the fisherman did not catch BIG fish, he just did not make sure he had a frying pan BIG enough to accommodate the catch! This my friend will be your Rehoboth year! This will be your year of God Making Room for your Blessings! Genesis 26:22, “And he moved away from there and dug another well, and for that one they did not quarrel. HE NAMED IT REHOBOTH [ROOM], SAYING, FOR NOW THE LORD HAS MADE ROOM FOR US, AND WE SHALL BE FRUITFUL IN THE LAND.” (AMPC) Pay attention, God made the room, but Isaac named it Rehoboth! It is time you start speaking by faith your Rehoboth! For not only will God make room for you this year, but you will be fruitful as well! You will receive the blessing with a bonus, and all you must do is BELIEVE!

“Sometimes when we get overwhelmed, we forget how BIG God is.” (Aiden Wilson Tozer)

J.P. Olson

www.thewordwithjpolson.org

If You Let It Happen God’s Way You Will Not Be Deficient In Any Way! God Is Not in A Hurry. We Are. It is Why We are Stressed and Worried. Even God Knows We Get Tired In The Waiting,

 

He Has Set the Right Time for Everything. He Has Given Us A Desire to Know the Future, But Never Gives Us the Satisfaction of Fully Understanding What He Does.” “God Is Not in A Hurry. We Are. It is Why We are Tired, Anxious, Stressed and Worried

 When Trouble Multiplies, Grace Magnifies. When we give God all we have in facing our troubles, we will learn where our strength ends and His begin.  We may have weaknesses, but God has strength. We may have sin, but God has grace. We may fail, but God remains faithful! We may have been unworthy, unfaithful, unmerciful, unteachable, unwilling, & unwise. If it seems like your troubles are multiplying, know that God's Grace abounds. We often hear the cliche "when it rains it pours" it appear that everything around us is falling apart all at once. The Moment you are ready to quit is usually the Moment right before the Miracle happens. Do not give up. God's whisper of comfort quiets the noise of our trials.  When we know that God’s hand is in everything, we can leave everything in God’s hand. " My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9.

 The Bottom Line to Every Prayer Should be, "Your Will Be Done. "Our prayers often revolve around asking God to hurry up and bless what we want to do.  We can pray with David "Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.  Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly" (Ps. 5:3 NLT).  We can trust His response, even if it does not come in the time we expect.  David recognized why he had to wait on the Lord. First, his salvation came from Him (Ps.62:1).  He learned that no one else could deliver him.  His only hope was in God (v.5), for God alone hears our prayers (v.8). "Not my will Lord, but Your will be done."

 There are times when we do not know why some things happened (good or bad). Trusting God in these kinds of times is what faith is all about. Jesus’ walk was hard, but He kept on... you can keep on too! Your faith must not be an afterthought; it is your most prize possession. Nurture and exercise it with passion!  Father help us to be Christians with a faith that is contagious and courageous. Through all our pain and joy, my God, you were there. You never left us alone. That is why we must dance in the Spirit!  Pause and thank God for the countless blessings He has bestowed upon you. Feel that peace?  That is God's hand on you.  He is the God of wholeness and restoration once you step into Him.  We must consume His Word daily. This world is a battlefield; therefore, we are walking onto a battlefield in our daily lives. Jesus Christ is the magnet who holds us all in place. The vertical forgiveness is that which we receive from our gracious God and the horizontal forgiveness is that which we extend to others in His name. Follow Christ, He will lead you through the hardships of life. Just Follow Him!

Whoever you are, whatever condition you have, circumstances past or present Jesus can restore you to wholeness. God does not force Himself upon us; we must claim our salvation willingly.  Everything comes together when we learn how to spend time with God!  Sometimes I must lock the door and get to a place where nothing matters but Jesus and me. Sometimes, we must leave some stuff behind, to get to the next level. There is no problem that God cannot solve. There is no place better to be than to be in the "Rest" of God.  With God, our load is light!

Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He has set the right time for everything. He has given us a desire to know the future, but never gives us the satisfaction of fully understanding what He does.” (GNT)

A portion out of Ecclesiastes 3:11 that I have gone back to as an anchor so many times to interpret what God was doing or seemed like He was not doing in my life says this: “He has made everything beautiful in its time…”

Problem is, we get Ugly while waiting for God to make everything Beautiful in its time!

Shall we be honest? Our tempers flare, we get discouraged and depressed, and certainly our faith begins to waver, while our doubts remain steadfast, then of course unbelief snuggles up next to us every night closer than our pillows and covers. Our attitudes go through a period of needing some serious adjusting and resetting. Our speech and thoughts become negative and pessimistic. Jealousy and envy and coveting rear their ugly heads, because now we believe God has favorites and we have clearly not made the cut to be on His team. Resentment, bitterness, and anger all become a part of our daily garments as much as our pants, shirts and shoes are. And dare we even began to talk about our ‘Sarah Complex’ of attempting to help God out with a back-up plan since He obviously has no idea that His plan A has some glitches in it that need to be worked out!

In a nutshell, it simply becomes a very Ugly time while waiting for something Beautiful to happen!

You see, it all kind of goes with that fullness of time principle the Bible talks about when it refers to the coming of Christ in these words: “But when the right time finally came, God sent His own Son…” (Galatians 4:4 GNT) God even waited for the right time to send His own Son to save us! You know, I am starting to think that God has a thing about this whole ‘Timing’ bit!

And do you know why I say that? Well, just look at how other translations state this Scripture:

 “BUT WHEN THE TIME ARRIVED THAT WAS SET BY GOD THE FATHER, GOD SENT HIS SON…” (MSG).

Even with something as important, urgent, and vital as our salvation, God still waited for the right, set time to fully arrive in His plan before He sent His Son. And if He waits for the right timing for that, He will wait for the right timing concerning all things concerning us! Like it or not my friend, but you may be in hurry, BUT GOD’S NOT! He is waiting for the Fullness of time! And the word “fullness” is defined as “after a due length of time has elapsed; filled; containing all that can be held; filled to the utmost; filled; perfectness; wholeness; and entire.” In other words, God is waiting for the absolute perfect timing to bring things to pass in your life, and when it does come, it will be more than you could have asked, dreamed or imagined (Ephesians 3:20, “Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]—” AMPC).

Just think about, when the time fully came for Him to send His Son, did we lack anything in receiving Him? Absolutely not! In fact, yes, He came to save us, but we received so much more than just salvation, we have been saved, healed, delivered, redeemed, justified, consecrated, gifted, anointed, protected, provided for, and still have so many more promises of God that have not been delivered to us yet! Listen, when you wait for God to do it in His timing and in His way, according to His plan, you will receive perfected promises! You simply cannot go wrong with that!

But again, the problem for us is that little phrase concerning the waiting periods of our life: “In the fullness of time, God…” Which means you my friend will have to wait! But will your waiting be in vain? Absolutely not!

What you are waiting on is also waiting on you! You are excited about it, and it is excited about you! “…It aches for the coming – it can hardly wait!” The promise and vision are just as on high alert as you are in expectation of their arrival…BUT you have got to wait, because it will only come “…right on time.”

Even when it seems slow, wait, do not attempt to rush God! And in those moments when you feel the need to, remember King Saul:

1 Samuel 13:8-14, “He WAITED seven days, THE TIME SET BY SAMUEL. Samuel failed to show up at Gilgal, and the soldiers were slipping away, right, and left. So, Saul took charge: “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” He went ahead and sacrificed the burnt offering. NO SOONER HAD HE DONE IT THAN SAMUEL SHOWED UP! Saul greeted him. Samuel said, “What on earth are you doing?” Saul answered, “When I saw I was losing my army from under me, and that you hadn’t come when you said you would, and that the Philistines were poised at Micmash, I said, ‘The Philistines are about to come down on me in Gilgal, and I haven’t yet come before God asking for his help.’ SO, I TOOK THINGS INTO MY OWN HANDS, and sacrificed the burnt offering.” “That was a fool thing to do,” Samuel said to Saul. “IF YOU HAD KEPT THE APPOINTMENT THAT YOUR GOD COMMANDED, by now God would have set a firm and lasting foundation under your kingly rule over Israel. As it is, your kingly rule is already falling to pieces. God is out looking for your replacement right now. This time he will do the choosing. When he finds him, he will appoint him leader of his people. AND ALL BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T KEEP YOUR APPOINTMENT WITH GOD!” (MSG)

People of God, you do not want to lose everything because you could not wait! Do not attempt to take things into your own hands. If God set a date and a time, wait for it to come to pass no matter how slow the timing may be. Saul could have kept his kingdom generation after generation, and yet because of one fool move of moving outside of the set timing, he lost everything and was replaced! Listen, for the record, God knows what He is doing and does not need your assistance at all!

Jeremiah 29:10-11, “This is God’s Word on the subject…I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I KNOW WHAT I’M DOING. I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” (MSG) God knows what He is doing, His plan is fool proof, now just make sure you are not acting the fool to mess it up!

You know, I heard about a pastor not too long ago whose secretary walked into his office, and she found him pacing back and forth, which was not what he usually did in his office. She said, “Hey, what’s the matter.” He said, “I’m in a hurry and God isn’t.” Did you ever feel that way? You say, “Well, that’s my life right now. I’m in a hurry and God isn’t.” And maybe you are asking, “Where is that answer? What is taking so long? God are You not listening to my prayers? Didn’t you hear me tell you about the urgency of the matter? The rent/mortgage/car note/ car insurance and tuition are all due on the same day! I need gas money, they are about to turn off the water, gas, and electricity if miracle funds are not deposited in my bank account by 5pm today! The doctor said if this last treatment does not go well, that is it, there is nothing else he can do! God, they have already laid off 5 people from my department and they are not done yet…what are You going to do? God, we need groceries, the kids need money for their school trip, Tommy needs braces and Tina needs glasses, and I need the money to pay for it all! God the child support is about to put my paycheck on life support! God if you do not step in today, we will be getting divorced tomorrow! God are You listening? God do You even care? God what are You waiting for? God when are You going to move?”

Ever been there? Are you there right now?

Learn how to worship instead of worry, turn your worry into worship. You see Worship Is Based in Who God Is While Praise Is Based in What He Does. Praise Is About God, Worship Is to God. Praise Is Opening Up, Worship Is Entering In. 

 We Need to Allow Our Praise to Be the Evidence That We Trust God’s Outcome Before We Even Come Out.

Well, God is following a careful process, invisible to you, but it will bring glory to Him and it will bring lasting joy to you. But right now, He is taking time to get you ready for the answer, recreating you into someone who has mountain-moving faith. Because if you do not have to wait you do not have to develop faith.  And all of us, no matter how powerful we think we are, need is faith to experience life events that cause it to develop.

James 1:2-4, “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So, do not try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work, so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” (MSG)

Your faith muscles need exercise so they can be strengthened to develop and the weights that work best for this is tests and challenges that come at you from all sides! Strengthening your faith in the waiting time brings you peace like you have never known. It gives you the reassurance that God is at work, and you will be rewarded, in the fullness of time! So, do not rush, do not panic, and do not try to get out of any situation that God is using for your ultimate good!

If You Let It Happen God’s Way You Will Not Be Deficient in Any Way! So, WAIT! It Will Be Good!

Romans 8:26-28, “Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we do not know how or what to pray, it does not matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is working into something good.” (MSG)

Even God Knows We Get Tired In The Waiting, and He is even prepared a plan for that. The Holy Spirit comes alongside to help us along, interceding along the journey.

Listen, I know you have been waiting so long you have lost count on how many days, weeks, and years you have been waiting. But I still say wait! Why? Because God is working on something good just for you, and all you must do is trust Him and wait for it!

J.P. Olson

www.thewordwithjpolson.org

“Jesus Wants A Relationship; Satan Wants Religion.” “Christianity Is A Relationship Not A Religion. I Did Not Convert, I Was Reborn. This Is What Jesus Says About The Matter:

John 3:14-16, “And just as Moses LIFTED up the serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must [so it is necessary that] the Son of Man be LIFTED up [on the cross], In order that everyone who believes in Him [who cleaves to Him, trusts Him, and relies on Him] may not perish, but have eternal life and [actually] LIVE forever! For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.” (AMPC)

During Pete’s college years, his wife Nina spent part of a summer as a counselor at a Bible camp that was buried deep in the mountains. I mean like deep in the mountains - deep enough in the mountains that the rattlesnakes are plentiful and feel right at home! One day as she was hiking with her girls through the woods, they all heard what they thought was just a branch or a stick breaking. Until they realized that one of the girls had been struck in the leg by a rattlesnake. Now Nina was someone you wanted to have around you when there was a crisis because she is always a cool head. She ran to the nearby camp and immediately went for the box in the infirmary that said Snake Bite Kit on it. But her heart sank when she opened it. Why? Because the LIFE-SAVING KIT WAS EMPTY! Thankfully, they were able to get that girl to a hospital in time to save her life, NO THANKS TO THE EMPTY SNAKE BITE KIT!

It is a terrible thing to realize that the thing that CLAIMS to be able to SAVE YOUR LIFE really has NOTHING THAT CAN HELP! As you read the pages of the Bible, you discover that the religions of the world are much like that. Every religion motivates its followers with the same promise - some form of heaven, and eternal life if you are a “good follower” of "whatever" or "whoever." But sadly, religion does not, for the most part, offer a cure for the deadly infection we have which is SIN AND ITS ETERNAL DEATH PENALTY. And just in case you did not know it, there is a huge difference between RELIGION and RELATIONSHIP!

“Christianity is not a religion or a philosophy, but a relationship and a lifestyle. The core of that lifestyle is thinking of others as Jesus did, instead of ourselves.” (Rick Warren)

“Jesus wants a Relationship; Satan wants Religion.”

“Jesus didn’t die so you can have a religion, He died so you can have a relationship with your Heavenly Father.”

“Christianity is a relationship not a religion. I did not convert, I was reborn.”

“Religion can be anything! But true Christianity is God coming to man in a personal relationship.” (Billy Graham)

I Reiterate, there is a HUGE Difference Between Religion and Relationship!

Speaking of relationship, there may be no more famous verse in all the Bible than John 3:16. It says, "God So Loved The World That He Gave His One And Only Son, That Whoever Believes In Him Shall Not Perish But Have Eternal Life." The verses that immediately precede that description of God's plan for saving us talks about a snake. In John 3:14-15, He says, "Just as Moses LIFTED UP the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be LIFTED UP, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal LIFE. God so loved the world..."

To understand this snake thing, and more importantly, to understand the only way your sins can be forgiven, and you can go to heaven, is to go back to Numbers 21 in the Old Testament where this snake incident took place. Venomous snakes have attacked God's people in the desert, and many of those people are dying. So, God says to Moses, "'make a snake and PUT IT UP ON A POLE; anyone who is bitten can LOOK at it and LIVE'" (Numbers 21:8-9). The Amplified Bible reads like this: “And the Lord said to Moses, make a fiery serpent [of bronze] and SET IT ON A POLE; and everyone who is bitten, when he LOOKS at it, shall LIVE. And Moses made a serpent of bronze and PUT IT ON A POLE, and if a serpent had bitten any man, when he LOOKED to the serpent of bronze [attentively, expectantly, with a steady and absorbing gaze], he LIVED.” (AMPC) Their only hope was to LOOK at what God told Moses to LIFT to save them.

For Us, That Is Jesus, God's Son, Dying On That Cross. John 12:32, “And I, If And When I Am Lifted Up From The Earth [On The Cross], Will Draw And Attract All Men [Gentiles As Well As Jews] To Myself.” (AMPC) We've all been bitten by the deadly snake called SIN. None of the great moralities, none of the great religions can possibly pay the death penalty for our sin. You see, getting to Heaven is not just about putting enough good on one side of the scale to balance the bad on the other; it is about satisfying a death penalty, and it took Jesus Christ's death to do that. You must LOOK to Him as the ONLY ONE who can save you. John 14:6, “Jesus Said To Him, I Am The Way And The Truth And The Life; No One Comes To The Father Except By (Through) Me.” (Ampc); Acts 4:12, “And There Is Salvation In And Through No One Else, For There Is No Other Name Under Heaven Given Among Men By And In Which We Must Be Saved.” (AMPC); Romans 10:9-10, “Because If You Acknowledge And Confess With Your Lips That Jesus Is Lord And, In Your Heart, Believe (Adhere To, Trust In, And Rely On The Truth) That God Raised Him From The Dead, You Will Be Saved. For With The Heart A Person Believes (Adheres To, Trusts In, And Relies On Christ) And So Is Justified (Declared Righteous, Acceptable To God), And With The Mouth He Confesses (Declares Openly And Speaks Out Freely His Faith) And Confirms [His] Salvation.” (Ampc); Matthew 1:21, “She Will Bear A Son, And You Shall Call His Name Jesus [The Greek Form Of The Hebrew Joshua, Which Means Savior], For He Will Save His People From Their Sins [That Is, Prevent Them From Failing And Missing The True End And Scope Of Life, Which Is God].” (AMPC)

One of the First things you need to keep in mind is that JESUS is your ONLY means to Salvation! No matter how many other ‘ways’ you may hear about, it is Jesus Alone! MATTHEW 17:8, “And When They Raised Their Eyes, They Saw No One But Jesus Only.” (AMPC) Which reminds me of the old hymn “Jesus Only” by Charles P. Jones. Just one verse says: “JESUS ONLY is my motto, JESUS ONLY is my song, JESUS ONLY is my heart thought, JESUS ONLY all day long. NONE BUT JESUS, Savior, Captain, NONE BUT JESUS help me sing, fill me ever with They presence, Jesus, Jesus, Lord and King.” If you take nothing else away from this devotional, remember always, that Jesus ONLY is your way to Salvation!

Truth is, we the CHURCH must get back to this being our job and responsibility, to make sure that we are LIFTING JESUS ONLY in our Houses of Worship. We have become so focused on lifting names; positions; and gifts, that we have lost sight of LIFTING Jesus! But the Scripture says: “And I, If And When I Am Lifted Up From The Earth [On The Cross], Will Draw And Attract All Men [Gentiles As Well As Jews] To Myself.” (John 12:32 AMPC) Jesus was already lifted on the cross, He was crucified and resurrected and now sits at the right hand of the Father ever living to make intercession for us. So, Jesus is NOT being crucified again.

Therefore, It’s Our Job And Responsibility As Believers, The Church, And Christians To Lift Him Up! Remember These Scriptures About Lifting! Nehemiah 8:6, “And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, LIFTING up their hands; and they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with faces to the ground.” (AMPC); Psalm 63:4, “So will I bless You while I live; I will LIFT up my hands in Your name.” (AMPC); Lamentations 3:41, “Let us LIFT up our hearts and our hands [and then with them mount up in prayer] to God in heaven:” (AMPC)

We Are Not To Lift Up Ourselves! Psalm 75:4-7, “I said to the arrogant and boastful, deal not arrogantly [do not boast]; and to the wicked, Lift Not Up The Horn [Of Personal Aggrandizement]. Lift Not Up Your [Aggressive] Horn On High, speak not with a stiff neck and insolent arrogance. For Not From The East Nor From The West Nor From The South Come Promotion And Lifting Up. But God Is The Judge! He Puts Down One And Lifts Up Another.” (AMPC); Isaiah 2:12-14, “For there shall be a day of the Lord of hosts against all who are proud and haughty and against all who are LIFTED UP—and they shall be brought low— [The wrath of God will begin by coming down] against all the cedars of Lebanon [west of the Jordan] that are HIGH AND LIFTED UP, and against all the oaks of Bashan [east of the Jordan], And [after that] against all the high mountains and all the hills that are LIFTED UP,” (AMPC); Daniel 5:20, 23, “But when his heart was LIFTED UP and his mind and spirit were hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne and his glory was taken from him;… And you Have Lifted Yourself Up Against The Lord Of Heaven, and the vessels of His house have been brought before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know; but the God in Whose hand your breath is and Whose are all your ways you have not honored and glorified [but have dishonored and disgraced].” (AMPC).

However, God Is So Great That Even When We Lift Him, He In Turn Lifts US! 1 Samuel 2:7-8, “The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He Brings Low And He Lifts Up. He raises up the poor out of the dust and LIFTS UP the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with nobles and inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and He has set the world upon them.” (AMPC); 2 Samuel 22:49, “Who brought me out from my enemies. You also LIFTED ME UP above those who revolted against me; You delivered me from the violent man.” (AMPC); Job 5:11, “So that He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn HE LIFTS to safety.” (AMPC); Psalm 3:3, “But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, and the LIFTER of my head.” (AMPC); Psalm 18:48, “Who delivers me from my enemies; yes, You LIFT me up above those who rise up against me; You deliver me from the man of violence.” (AMPC); Isaiah 11:11, “And in that day the Lord shall again LIFT up His hand a second time to recover (acquire and deliver) the remnant of His people which is left, from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Pathros, from Ethiopia, from Elam [in Persia], from Shinar [Babylonia], from Hamath [in Upper Syria], and from the countries bordering on the [Mediterranean] Sea.” (AMPC); Mark 9:27, “But Jesus took [a strong grip of] his hand and began LIFTING him up, and he stood.” (AMPC); 1 Corinthians 2:7, “But rather what we are setting forth is a wisdom of God once hidden [from the human understanding] and now revealed to us by God— [that wisdom] which God devised and decreed before the ages for our glorification [to LIFT us into the glory of His presence].” (AMPC); James 4:10, “Humble yourselves [feeling very insignificant] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will LIFT you up and make your lives significant].” (AMPC)

I Reiterate, We Are to LIFT JESUS; We Are Not to LIFT Ourselves; and God in Turn Loves Us Enough to Even LIFT US!

However, in this scenario, we are to focus on LIFTING JESUS!

John 3:14-16, “And just as Moses LIFTED up the serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must [so it is necessary that] the Son of Man be LIFTED up [on the cross], In order that everyone who believes in Him [who cleaves to Him, trusts Him, and relies on Him] may not perish, but have eternal life and [actually] LIVE forever! For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.” (AMPC)

Jesus Loved Us Enough to Be Lifted on the Cross, and Now It is Our Turn to Lift Him in Our Prayers, Praise, Worship, Services, Lives and Lifestyles. There are lives and souls at stake! There are still sheep that have yet to be added to the Lord’s fold, and it is our responsibility (as sheep) to make sure they SEE HIM LIFTED UP HIGH! Our sermons and Sunday school lessons need to LIFT JESUS; the songs the praise teams and choirs sing need to LIFT JESUS; the way we treat people (friends, family, foes, coworkers, and even the unsaved needs to LIFT JESUS! Our behavior and conduct and mindset should all LIFT JESUS! We are created in His imagine and likeness; we are His believers, church, disciples, witnesses, and ambassadors. And with that comes the responsibility to ensure everything about us LIFTS JESUS! Why? Because when we LIFT HIM; the people LOOK ON HIM; the people are SAVED BY HIM; and the people LIVE FOR HIM for all eternity! Isn’t that worth us focusing more on LIFTING JESUS instead of focusing so much on lifting ourselves!?

God’s people in the desert suffered snake bites, and there was no snake bite emergency kit to reach for. No, Moses had the responsibility to LIFT the serpent that the people would look upon it and be healed. If God can provide healing by the people looking up at a serpent on a pole; imagine what He can provide for the people who LOOK to JESUS and LIVE! They will be healed; saved; delivered; restored; redeemed; forgiven; justified; made whole; have peace and joy added to every part and portion of their lives. And all we need to do is to make sure we LIFT HIM so the people can LOOK to HIM and LIVE!

Let us not be so concerned with people lifting us and looking up to us! WE are not the focal point! (2 Corinthians 4:7)

“We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This Makes It Clear That Our Great Power Is From God, Not From Ourselves.” (NLT)

“We have this light from God in our human bodies. This Shows That The Power Is From God. It Is Not From Ourselves.” (NLV)

“But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that The Extraordinary Greatness Of The Power Will Be Of God And Not From Ourselves;” (NASB)

“…If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s To Prevent Anyone From Confusing God’s Incomparable Power With Us. As It Is, There’s Not Much Chance Of That. You Know For Yourselves That We’re Not Much To Look At…” (vss. 7-12 MSG)

“But this precious treasure—this light and power that now shine within us—is held in a perishable container, that is, in our weak bodies. Everyone Can See That The Glorious Power Within Must Be From God And Is Not Our Own.” (TLB)

“Yet we who have this spiritual treasure are like common clay pots, In Order To Show That The Supreme Power Belongs To God, Not To Us.” (GNT)

“We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. THE REAL POWER COMES FROM GOD AND NOT FROM US.” (CEV)

John 12:30-33, “Jesus said, “The voice did not come for me but for you. At this moment, the world is in crisis. Now Satan, the ruler of this world, will be thrown out. And I, as I am LIFTED from the earth, will attract everyone to me and gather them around me.” He put it this way to show how he was going to be put to death.” (MSG)

Jesus knew He came to DIE that we might LIVE, and all we must do is LIFT Him! Let our Houses of Worship not be like the opening story where a person in dire need to be saved, had someone reach for what would save them, and unfortunately it was empty! Let our churches not be emptied of the name of Jesus! Not the man upstairs; not ‘Him’ or even just using a vague term as 'god’ but let us make sure we are LIFTING the name of JESUS!

Matthew 19:29, “And anyone and everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for My name’s sake will receive many [even a hundred] times more and will inherit ETERNAL LIFE.” (AMPC)

Acts 13:48, “And when the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified (praised and gave thanks for) the Word of God; and as many as were destined (appointed and ordained) to ETERNAL LIFE believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Jesus as the Christ and their Savior).” (AMPC)

1 John 5:13, “I write this to you who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) the name of the Son of God [in the peculiar services and blessings conferred by Him on men], so that you may know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that you [already] have life, yes, ETERNAL LIFE.” (AMPC)

LET’S LIFT JESUS, LOOK TO HIM AND LIVE!

J.P. Olson

www.thewordwithjpolson.org