What No Human Mind Conceived

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV)

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love Him—

Our Verse of the Day has profound significance for the prophetic word concerning the Gospel and the work of salvation for which Jesus was sent by the Father into this world to rescue us … to redeem us … to save us! When I look at the world around me, I am encouraged by the hope of the Gospel and the promises of God. In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul affords us some context into why he quotes Isaiah 64:4. So I would like to take a look at what the prophet heard from God and then see how Paul applies it to our faith in Christ….

Isaiah 64:1-9 (NIV)

Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you! For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him. You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against your ways, you were angry. How then can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and have given us over to our sins. Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay and you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord; do not remember our sins forever. Oh, look on us, we pray, for we are all your people.

As I read this portion of Scripture, I realized that more context was needed, so I went back and read Isaiah 62 and Isaiah 63 to understand more of the plea before God to make His presence known. Isaiah presents a picture of the coming wrath of God, His Day of Vengeance, and the reason for His indignation; but then he shifts focus to reflect on the redemption and salvation of those who are called by His name. He speaks of the vindication of God’s people and the coming Savior (Messiah) who will accomplish it. There are allusions to the rebuilding and restoration of Jerusalem … the dwelling place of God among His people. This certainly provided more context as I approached our Verse of the Day because I believe Isaiah was trying to emphasize how God works on behalf of His people … even when they are not always able to comprehend what He is doing for them.

In Isaiah 62:5, the prophet could foresee a restored relationship between God and His people. He described it as a marriage: “As a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.” This imagery made me think of Christ and His bride – the Church. Jesus would use this same metaphor to describe the intimate nature of His relationship with believers. (Cf. Matthew 9:14-15; Mark 2:18-20; Luke 5:34-35) And Jesus uses it as well to speak about His future coming (when the bridegroom who was taken from them returns) in the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Cf. Matthew 25:1-13).

In addition, Paul applied this same metaphor to express the relationship of believers with the Lord Jesus. In Ephesians 5:25-32, Paul admonished: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy; cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to Himself as a radiant church (a glorious bride), without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of His body. “For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” (Citing Genesis 2:24) This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the Church.

And therein lies what I believe is the connection to our Verse of the Day. The mystery of Christ and His Church … the relationship between the Son of God and His Bride. It is no longer a mystery! God has revealed this wisdom and insight to the hearts of believers through His Holy Spirit. I love how Paul articulates the mystery:

1 Corinthians 2:6-16 (NIV)

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” (Citing Isaiah 64:4) — the things God has prepared for those who love Him— these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct Him?” (Citing Isaiah 40:13) But we have the mind of Christ.

When those who place their faith in Christ Jesus are born of God, they receive the Holy Spirit as an indwelling part of their being … the seal of their redemption. And the Spirit instills the life and mind of Christ within us! As Jesus taught: “When He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that He will receive what He will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me that which He will make known to you.” (Cf. John 16:13-15)

When Paul asserted that “we have the mind of Christ,” I believe he is referencing the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit; likewise, no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. Yet, God has given us His Spirit to know these things … yes, the deep things of God! He enables us to understand His will … the Gospel … the life purpose of Christ Jesus … His plan of redemption and salvation … His great mercy and love … His gift of eternal life. All these things are understood through the Spirit and cannot be discerned without Him. This is why the Scriptures … the Word of God … becomes alive in us as the Spirit guides us into all the truth!

When Isaiah prophesied: Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him, I think his vision was set upon the coming Messiah and the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan! If you turn back one more chapter and read Isaiah 61, I think you will agree. Jesus quoted its first three verses when He began His public ministry as a declaration of His identity … as the One whom the Father has sent to the world to fulfill this prophetic word. Indeed, the Gospel has been hidden from ancient times, but God revealed it to the Prophet Isaiah beforehand … and it has been fulfilled through the life of our Lord Jesus! “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Cf. 1 Timothy 1:17)

My friends, we have been empowered to understand the deep things of God … the know the things that God has freely given us … namely the experience of redemption and eternal life within His Son. Indeed, no one can truly appreciate and embrace what God has given us except that the Holy Spirit makes it known to them. He is the One who shares the mind and thoughts of our Savior with us; and those thoughts are expressed in His Word! I believe it is imperative that we study the Word of God in order to know His thoughts … to receive His wisdom … to understand His passionate love for us. It is His Spirit that makes us aware of His presence within us … which is truly the greatest mystery for us to ultimately conceive! Oh, Father, thank you for revealing what no mind could have ever conceived: the mystery of Yeshua Hamashiach – Your Only Begotten Son! He was the Word from the beginning (Cf. John 1:1) … the Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world! (Cf. Revelation 13:8) … the faithful bridegroom coming for His bride. (Cf. Revelation 19:7) Lord Jesus be exalted forevermore! Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” (Cf. Isaiah 65:17) for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. ~ Revelation 21:1-3

A Child of God…

Galatians 3:26-28 (NIV)

So, in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Our Verse of the Day has some theological implications that should not be ignored … nor is the text ambiguous. Simply stated, for a person to be a child of God, he or she must be in Christ Jesus through faith in Him. Compare this assertion from Paul with the declaration of John:

John 1:10-13 (NIV)

¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. ¹¹He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. ¹²But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right (authority or power) to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: ¹³who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but born of God.

Our “right” to become children of God was GIVEN by Jesus Christ through receiving and believing in Him! We do not have the right to claim that we are children of God except that it has been given us through the authority of the Son. In addition, John records of the teachings of Jesus regarding how those who reject Him are not “legitimate” children:

John 8:31-47 (NIV)

³¹To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³²Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ³³They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” ³⁴Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. ³⁵Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. ³⁶So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. ³⁷I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. ³⁸I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.” ³⁹“Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. ⁴⁰As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. ⁴¹You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God Himself.” ⁴²Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. ⁴³Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. ⁴⁴You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁴⁵Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! ⁴⁶Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Wow! Being physical children of Abraham does not in itself confer the right to become children of God. Jesus said, IF you were Abraham’s children, then you would do what Abraham did. So, what did Abraham do? What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Cf. Romans 4:3) A person has to believe God at His Word to become His child through the adoption of sonship (as we have seen in previous studies). Even John the Baptist said to some in the crowds coming out to be baptized by him: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Cf. Luke 3:7-9)

It follows that a true child of Abraham is one who believes God. And to believe God means to believe in the Son that He has sent – Jesus! As the Apostle John wrote:

1 John 5:1-5 (NIV)

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves His child as well. ²This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out His commands. ³In fact, this is love for God: to keep His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, ⁴for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

What we see in these passages of Scripture is the understanding that humans have the opportunity or capacity to become “children of God” through the “transformation” that comes from receiving Jesus … from believing in His name and through abiding in Him. When we are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God; there is a spiritual birth or transformation (rebirth process) that occurs within our inner beings that produces a “child of God”. Thus, we are born-again through the Spirit of God when we receive Jesus and believe in Him! Indeed, a child of God is something that we become through Christ alone! We are “adopted” by the Father because we abide in His Son. There is no alternative … no other “process” offered in Scripture for us to become “children” of God. Paul was given the ability to articulate this theological concept in practical terms for us:

Romans 8:14-17 (NIV)

¹⁴For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory….

My friends, I pray that as you begin your day, you will be encouraged to better understand your relationship with God the Father as His child. No one will ever love you with the depth or passion of love that God has for you through Jesus Christ. Receive His love this morning! Believe in His love for you this morning! It will change your thoughts about who you are in Him. You are His beloved child … and there is no greater feeling than knowing you are loved by God.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. All who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure. ~ 1 John 3:1-3

His Word Endures Forever…

1 Peter 1:24-25 (NIV)

For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the Word that was preached to you.

Our Verse of the Day has a great observation and commentary from the Apostle Peter concerning the eternal and unchanging nature of God’s Word. To me, it provides an interesting contrast that Peter uses here to support his point, and I would like to explore it further….

1 Peter 1:22-25 (NIV)

²²Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from a pure heart. ²³For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God. ²⁴For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, ²⁵but the word of the Lord endures forever.” (Citing Isaiah 40:6-8) And this is the Word that was preached to you.

I believe the context of our passage is anchored by Verse 23. Here we find reference to the born-again experience that Jesus discussed with Nicodemus. The Apostle John records this conversation, and I will reprint it here:

John 3:5-15 (NIV)

⁵Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. ⁶Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” ⁹“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. ¹⁰“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?¹²I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? ¹³No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. ¹⁴Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him.”

With this in mind (being born of the Spirit), I believe we can infer from the premise made by Peter that the Word of God is what the Spirit uses to “effectuate” the new birth experience. He asserts that “we have been born again … through the living and enduring Word of God. And this “word” is unchanging … it is eternal. And this is the word that was preached to you. And this is consistent with what Paul asserted when he penned: “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God.” (Cf. Romans 10:17) I cannot explain how this happens; I only know from personal experience that it does. When we allow the “thoughts” of God to penetrate and indwell our hearts, we WILL come to faith in Jesus Christ … which IS the born-again experience being presented here. Jesus said, “This is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. (Cf. Luke 22:20), and it was declared through the Prophet Jeremiah when he prophesied:

Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NIV)

³¹“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. ³²It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. ³³“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. ³⁴No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

(You will see the new covenant declaration quoted in the Hebrews 8 as well. And in Hebrews 9, you will find its theological development and the requirement for the sacrificial blood of Jesus to “seal” or “enforce” the covenant. So, I encourage you to read those fascinating chapters.)

Now for emphasis, Peter quotes the Prophet Isaiah regarding the temporal nature of man in contrast to the eternal nature of God’s Word. The Word of God is “living” and its truth endures forever in comparison to the brevity of our own lives. Perhaps Peter wanted to assure believers that the Word living in them affirms the Lord’s promise of our resurrection and eternal life with God. As we noted in Hebrews 4:12, “The Word of God is alive and active!” So, when we are born-again of the Spirit through the imperishable, living, and enduring Word of God, our physical lives may end but our souls will live forever. Jesus affirmed, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live … even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (Cf. John 11:25-26)

It is certain each of us will face physical death. The statistics have remained unchanged at 100% since humans have been on the earth. Even Jesus died a physical death…. But Jesus taught us that faith in Him would overcome the power of death. When we are alive in Jesus … when we abide in Him … our physical death here will not be final. And this is why Jesus said, “You must be born again – born of water (the Word) and the Spirit – in order to enter the Kingdom of God.

As I meditate on these passages, I think I will conclude with this passage from the Gospel of John because Jesus can explain this better than anyone else:

John 6:63-69 (ESV)

⁶⁰Many of His disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?” ⁶¹Jesus was aware that His disciples were complaining, so He said to them, “Does this offend you? ⁶²Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? ⁶³The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are full of the Spirit and life. ⁶⁴But there are some of you who do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and He knew who would betray Him.) ⁶⁵Then He said, “That is why I said to you that no one can come to me unless it has been granted to them by the Father.” ⁶⁶At this point many of His disciples turned away and deserted him. ⁶⁷Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” ⁶⁸Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. ⁶⁹We believe, and we know you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Look at how much I love your precepts. Preserve my life, Lord, in accordance with your faithful love. All of Your Word is truth, and all Your righteous judgments endure forever. ~ Psalm 119:159-160

A Call To Praise!

1 Peter 1:3 (NIV)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…

In our Verse of the Day, the Apostle Peter leads us into a call of praise to God our Father for the gift of His Son … our Lord Jesus Christ. And look at the reason we are called to give Him praise: “In His great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadand into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.” A new birth … to be “born again” … means we experience an authentic encounter with Jesus Christ that produces a “living hope” of resurrection and “inheritance” of eternal life. Let’s look at the larger passage for context:

1 Peter 1:3-16 (NIV)

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. ¹⁰Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, ¹¹trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He (Holy Spirit) foretold the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. ¹²It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. ¹³Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming. ¹⁴As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ¹⁵But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

This is a powerful passage of Scripture from the Apostle Peter, and I want to think about the power of praise in our lives. Indeed, praise and worship produces power upon and within the believer. Praise and worship are what will get us through the difficult times and trials in our lives because God supernaturally uses it to fill us with the power we need to build our faith and to overcome. Notice in Verses 6 and 7 what Peter shares about suffering due to the obedience that comes from faith: “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” Perhaps, Peter reflected back on when Jesus taught about the trials believers would face for putting their faith in Him. Jesus had likewise encouraged steadfastness in faith. Jesus encouraged His followers to rejoice and be glad when you encounter hostility for your faith in Him. As we discussed, Jesus taught: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me (or my name). Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Cf. Matthew 5:11-12)

Have you ever wondered why the new birth … being born again of the Spirit of God must come first? The Apostle John records what Jesus taught about this experience:

John 3:1-8 (NIV)

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. ²He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” ³Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless they are born again.” ⁴“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely, they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” ⁵Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water (the Word) and the Spirit. ⁶Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So, it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

We see from this passage that the “born again” experience is spiritual – conceived in the Word of God and brought forth by the Spirit of God. Our spiritual birth in Christ Jesus is the beginning of new life … real life … true life … which is what God has purposed for us since before the foundation of the world. Jesus declared: “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent. (Cf. John 6:29) So, when faith in Jesus Christ is formed … when we receive Him and believe in Him, we then receive the right (the authority) to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor a human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (Cf. John 1:12-13)

Without this new birth – we do not have the indwelling Spirit of God. No one can declare “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 12:3) It follows that we must be born again before we can be filled with the “living hope” accomplished through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, we must be born again before we can become a child of God … a child who is “eligible” to receive an inheritance … the inheritance of eternal life. Eternal life is His gift to those who are His own; and I will note what Peter shared about this new birth – it is given to us because of the “great mercy” of the Father. Without His mercy … without His grace … we are unable to believe in the One He has sent. Our faith in Jesus Christ is truly a merciful gift!

Ephesians 2:1-9 (NIV)

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ²in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. ⁴But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.

So what shall we conclude? What is the application for us?

Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ²Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.

It is my prayer that our Verse of the Day has conveyed something much deeper for us to meditate upon. I hope we can earnestly declare: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!” Oh, how I pray that we will “joyfully give thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the Kingdom of Light. For He has rescued (saved) us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption – the forgiveness of sins.” (Cf. Colossians 1:12-14)

Yes! Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

New Year … New Creation

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Our first Verse of the Day for 2022 is a great reminder that all things are “new” for those who come to faith in Christ Jesus….

This message of the Gospel is powerful and rests upon the teaching of Jesus Himself when He explained to a member of the Pharisees named Nicodemus: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again (from above) he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” As Nicodemus questioned Jesus about this teaching, Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (Cf. John 3:1-8)

When we are born-again of the Spirit, we become new creations through Him! And I believe this is the foundation of the New Covenant … when the Lord puts His law within our minds, and write His law on our hearts. (Cf. Jeremiah 31:31-33). Jesus once shared a metaphor that I think is quite relevant to this point:

Luke 5:36-38 (NIV)

He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. ³⁸But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.

We are called into the “new” through Jesus! He wants us to have a new faith … a new perspective … a new purpose … and a new anointing to enter the Kingdom of God that He establishes within us! Perhaps His parable was even prophetic when His disciples were gathered on the Day of Pentecost, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. In response to this outpouring, the text states: “And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” (Cf. Acts 2:1-13)

As we begin a new year with a renewed resolve to be more disciplined in our walk with the Lord Jesus, I pray that we will keep in mind how our born-again experience has transformed us into new creations … being conformed to the image of Christ. I think the Apostle Paul does an excellent job giving us insight into this process:

Romans 6:1-7 (NIV)

¹What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ²By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? ⁴We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. ⁵For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. ⁶We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. ⁷For one who has died has been set free (justified) from sin.

Romans 7:4-6 (NIV)

⁴Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. ⁵For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. ⁶But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

Ephesians 4:17-24 (NIV)

¹⁷So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. ¹⁸They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. ¹⁹Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. ²⁰That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹when you heard about Christ and were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²²You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Colossians 3:1-10 (NIV)

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. ⁵Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. ⁶Because of these, the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. ⁷You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. ⁸But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. ⁹Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices ¹⁰and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

And so, I pray that we will begin this New Year with the convictions of faith deeply rooted in our hearts. May we find within us the discipline to stay in prayer … to study the Word … to fast for healing and deliverance … and to labor with courage and commitment in the harvest field this year. Indeed, 2022 is the year to be devoted in praise and prayer … spiritual priorities if we truly intend to abide in Him and He is us.

So Now You Know!

Have a Blessed Day!

Eternal Perspective…

1 Peter 1:24-25 (NIV)

For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.

I love this verse because it affords us some spiritual perspective on how to view this gift of human life we have received from God. In this opening chapter of his first epistle, we see Peter contrasting the temporal circumstances of our lives with the eternal inheritance that awaits us in heaven. He presents a comparison of things that are “perishable” with those that are “imperishable”. This is a common prophetic message shared by the apostolic writers of the New Testament. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.” (1 Peter 1:3-6)

Indeed, as we walk this journey of faith, we come to a knowledge of this truth: “Through Him (Jesus) you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God.” (1 Peter 1:21) Jesus is the originator (author) and completer (finisher) of our faith. (Cf. Hebrews 12:2) Yes, with confidence and conviction, we can affirm His declaration: “I AM the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Cf. John 14:6) And I feel that these points of reference can provide a useful context for us to examine the larger context of our verse:

1 Peter 1:17-25 (NIV)

¹⁷Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners in exile here (or as sojourners on earth) in reverent fear. ¹⁸For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, ¹⁹but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. ²⁰He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. ²¹Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God. ²²Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the pure heart. ²³For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. ²⁴For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, ²⁵but the Word of the Lord endures forever.” (Quoting Isaiah 40:6-8) And this is the Word that was preached to you.

Here we see the juxtapositions of perishable and imperishable … temporary and eternal. Our temporary bodies are perishable. We are like the grass that soon withers. But our spiritual beings are imperishable. Our souls, reserved for resurrected bodies, will inherit eternal life. Paul addressed this issue of faith as well:

1 Corinthians 15:35-57 (NIV) – The Resurrection Body

³⁵But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” ³⁶How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. ³⁷When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. ³⁸But God gives it a body as He has determined, and to each kind of seed He gives its own body. ³⁹Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. ⁴⁰There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. ⁴¹The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.

⁴²So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; ⁴³it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; ⁴⁴it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being” (Quoting Genesis 2:7); the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. ⁴⁷The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. ⁴⁸As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. ⁴⁹And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.

⁵⁰I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. ⁵¹Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— ⁵²in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. ⁵⁴When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (Quoting Isaiah 25:8) ⁵⁵“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (Quoting Hosea 13:14) ⁵⁶The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I realize that we could probably delve deeper into the theology, but I hope what is presented here will stir your thinking further on the temporal versus the eternal. I believe how we envision the eternal will impact how we live in the present. And this is the message of the Gospel: “For 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.” (John 3:16) To perish is both a concrete physical and a potential spiritual reality. But to be clothed with the imperishable, one must be IN Christ Jesus. Only in Him will we experience the immortal … the imperishable … and the eternal. Yes, the eternal is why we are commissioned to be ambassadors for Christ … to go to the ends of the earth to proclaim the truth! So it is important that every person comes to understand what is required to receive eternal life. And here is the instruction: “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)

And so, I want to leave us with these two thoughts for application:

1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV)

¹I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— ²for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

2 Timothy 2:24-26 (NIV)

²⁴And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. ²⁵Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

A Call To Praise…

1 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.

There is a solemn decree for praise today! And we have every reason to give our praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Praise Him for His GREAT mercy! Praise Him for His gift of New Birth! Praise Him for our Living Hope! He is alive! He is alive! Alive forevermore! Amen!

1 Peter 1:3-16 (NIV)

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. ¹⁰Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, ¹¹trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He (Holy Spirit) foretold the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. ¹²It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. ¹³Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming. ¹⁴As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ¹⁵But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

This is a powerful passage of Scripture from the Apostle Peter, and I want to think about the power of praise in our lives. Yes, praise endues power upon and within the believer. Praise and worship are what will get us through the difficult times and trials in our lives because God supernaturally uses it to fill us with the power we need to build our faith and to overcome. Notice in Verses 6 and 7 what Peter shares about suffering due to the obedience that comes from faith: “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” Perhaps, Peter reflected back on when Jesus taught about the trials believers would face for putting their faith in Him. Jesus had likewise encouraged steadfastness in faith. Jesus encouraged His followers to rejoice and be glad when you encounter hostility for your faith in Him. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me (or my name). Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Cf. Matthew 5:11-12) And I think we can add a verse of wisdom from King Solomon here as well: “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” (Cf. Proverbs 29:25)

The application of all these verses is to examine the genuineness of our faith. “What do we honestly believe about God? “Do we trust His Word as the authority for our lives?” “Do our words and deeds align with our profession of faith?” Jesus said God is Spirit, and He is seeking those who will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. (Cf. John 4:23-24) It seems apparent to me that Genuineness … Honesty … Sincerity … Truth … is what will prevail and endure before our holy and righteous God and Savior. Jesus exhorted His disciples, “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him.” (Cf. Luke 12:4-5) So yes, God has been quite merciful toward us … and His mercy should lead us to walk in the truth all the more. His gift of repentance is granted to align us with the truth and His purposes. Indeed, as Peter declared: “In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.” And as Paul wrote: “Do we have no regard for the goodness, forbearance, and patience of God; not realizing that His kindness is intended to lead us to repentance?” (Cf. Romans 2:4)

And so I pray, that God would reveal to each of us any areas of repentance in which we need to engage ourselves. Yes, let us repent of spiritual indifference; slothfulness; timidity; hardness of heart; resentment; bitterness; unforgiveness; and of anything else that hinders our energy or capacity to praise and worship God in Spirit and in Truth! Indeed, we are urged by the mercies of God to present ourselves as living sacrifices; holy and acceptable to God – for this is our true, spiritual worship. And let us not conform to the pattern of this fallen world; rather, let us be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Then, when we are tested, we will discern what is the will of God – His good, pleasing, and perfect will. (Cf. Romans 12:1-2) Yes, I pray our faith will deepen in response to the opportunities God affords us through various tests and trials….

One final thought:

Colossians 3:1-17 (ESV)

¹ If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. ⁵Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶On account of these the wrath of God is coming upon those who are disobedient. ⁷In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. ⁸But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. ⁹Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices ¹⁰and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator. ¹¹Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

¹²Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ¹³bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing, psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

A Wise Son

Proverbs 23:24 (NIV)

The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.

Several of you had responded to my email that I sent on Saturday … sending prayers and well wishes about the spiritual battle(s) that I have been facing. First of all, I send my heartfelt gratitude to those who have been praying and interceding … regardless of whether you let me know. I am blessed to be surrounded with your love and concern. So I wanted to let you know one of the battles that I have been fighting in the Spirit … and to share the praise report that I alluded to in my email. The victory of prayer and spiritual warfare that I received from the Lord is found in our Verse of the Day….

“The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.”

You see, I received news late Friday night that my son, Eric, and his wife, Shelby, had a life-changing encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ! Yes, both have been born-again of the Spirit of God – and their names are now written in the Lamb’s Book of Life! Yes, Hallelujah! Yes, Amen! Yes, I give thanks to God that He removed the veil of darkness from their eyes that they might see the Light of God in Jesus Christ! They are no longer of this world or live in the wisdom of this world. These Scriptures come to mind:

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (NIV)

¹⁸For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” (Cf. Isaiah 29:14) ²⁰Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. ²²Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ²⁴but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 (NIV)

¹Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. ²Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. ³And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” (Cf. Genesis 1:3) made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

Ephesians 2:1-10 (NIV)

¹ As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ²in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. ⁴But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

“In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Cf. Luke 15:10) So, like the father of the Prodigal Son (Cf. Luke 15:11-32), I invite you to rejoice with me … “For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” So we are celebrating and grateful to God! And I encourage every one who is praying for their prodigal … for their children who have wandered from the faith … to persevere in prayer before the Father. For those the spiritual battle is intense … the battle belongs to Lord! Ask for the “veil” to be removed from their eyes … that they too might become wise and see the light of God in Christ Jesus. Yes, continue to watch and pray! And I pray that I will be celebrating your victories with you soon….