the power of God, the wisdom of God

 “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?”

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says,

‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’

There is salvation in no one else!

God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4

So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.

But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 

This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.

1 Corinthians 1

Last week we meditated on the resurrection and what it means to us, 

This week I would like us to consider the gift of Salvation, It is a gift, we do not work for it or earn it, Our Father freely makes it available to all people of all nations, 

Triumphant privilege 2

 Meditation on the resurrection

Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 

He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead.

He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.

But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back

These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever.

But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.

1 Corinthians 15

triumphant privilege

 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”John 11

I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen..”Matthew 28

Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.1Corinthians 15

We walk triumphantly over sin and death because of our Lord. This week I thought we would meditate on the resurrection and the privilege we have because of it. 

Whosoever believes

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.

I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

“I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. 

Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!

“O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.”

For so loved the world that He gave His only Son, Whosoever believes shall not perish they shall have eternal life.

All who are mine belong to You

 My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.

Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

People are precious and valued by our God.

Listen to our Lord's heart as He prepares for death on a cross on our behalf. 

Our Father takes ownership of us. We are His, we belong to Him. He is able to protects us  and is willing to do so. In His Word there is joy for us for nowhere else can we find love and peace so complete. Truly it is for our benefit and advantage to learn to live in His presence.

Everything I am is a gift from the Father

 “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. 

For you have given him authority over everyone. 

He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. 

And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.

This prayer our Lord prays as He is getting ready for the cross. What we set out to do from the beginning of time, let us do it Father.

We are privileged to be chosen by God for His pleasure.

I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. 

They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 

Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, for I have passed on to them the message you gave me.

They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.

Psalm 17

Our Father gifted us, our Lord Jesus. Each and every single Word in our bibles is a gift from God to us. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

This week we are going to journey through our Lord's prayer in Psalm 17 before He died on our behalf, This is the God we serve.

As we learn to live each moment in His presence let us see Him and appreciate Him. Everything our Lord is , everything He said and did is a gift to us from the Father.

Extol him all peoples

 I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.

Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!

Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Please, Lord, save me!”

How kind the Lord is! How good he is!

So merciful, this God of ours!

The Lord protects those of childlike faith;

And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth!

The Lord’s Faithfulness Endures Forever

​ Praise the Lord, all nations!

Extol him, all peoples!

For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 116&117

There is none like You

 Who Is like the LORD Our God?

Praise the LORD! 

Yes, give praise, O servants of the Lord.Praise the name of the Lord!

Blessed be the name of the Lord now and forever.

Everywhere—from east to west—praise the name of the Lord.

For the Lord is high above the nations; his glory is higher than the heavens.

Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high?

He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth.

He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump.

He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people!

He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother.

Praise the LORD!

Psalm113

Our Lord is awesome and worthy to be praised. Our God is kind and is moved by our plight and need. Our God relates to our trials and tribulations and understands us. We just read how majestic and great He is, but He cares and acts on our behalf.

This week I thought we would once again remind ourselves of the goodness and the greatness of our God. If my goal is to learn to live in His presence then I should know who He is.