Wonderful Jesus!

Tag: Salvation

• Jesus, the Son of God!

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on June 30, 2020

  Matthew 3:17 – And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” NKJV

  

  I’ve blogged about Jesus, our deliverer from sin; Jesus, our access to the kingdom, and Jesus, our access to the blessings. All of this helps us to understand the multi-faceted purpose of our Lord and Savior. Today, I will blog about Jesus, the Son of God.

  Everything we can ever learn about Jesus is a truth we should hold dear to our heart; but the one truth we must make preeminent is, Jesus is the Son of God! The foundation of our faith in Him, is wrapped up in the gift of God, His Son, who came in human flesh to die on the cross for us, then He rose from the dead, and presents us faultless before the throne!

  Mark, Luke, and John starts their gospel account acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God. John expounded on this truth that the Word become flesh and dwelt among us. In verse thirty four of his first chapter he wrote, “And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” (Words attributed to John the Baptist). Then, at the closing of his writings in chapter twenty he stated, “but these are written that you many believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” When I was new in the studying of the word, I was told, and heard many people tell new believers, to start reading in the book of John. I wasn’t told why, just to do it. But I understand now, because John’s purpose in writing this gospel was to present Jesus as the Son of God, and faith starts and end on this truth!

  The devil started his attacks against Jesus with the phrase, “If You are the Son of God”. At this point, Jesus has not proclaimed anything about Himself; but the enemy knew it to be true, that He, Jesus was indeed the Son of God. Satan’s problem was that He didn’t understand why God sent His Son to the earth in flesh. He had no idea the great plan of salvation that was carried in the bosom of the Son of God. He did however, know it was not a good thing for him. On several occasions, as demons were about to be cast out of individuals, they referred to Jesus as the Son of God; but He would silence them because He wanted no recognition or witness from the demonic world.

  People recognized Jesus as the Son of God. As Jesus performed miracles, He was worshipped as the Son of God. When He walked on water, and told Peter to come out of the boat, and Peter also walked on water, the disciples proclaimed that “truly He is the Son of God.” When He told Nathanael that He saw him under the tree, Nathanael declared that He was the Son of God. When He asked His disciples who did men say that He was, Peter said that he believed Him to be the Son of God. When He died on the cross and the earth responded with anguish it was said by the centurion that He was the Son of God.

  More importantly, Jesus said He is the Son of God. After healing the man born blind, Jesus asked the man if he believed in the Son of God and affirmed that He indeed was the Son. He said that as Son, He must complete the works of His Father. Jesus said that He who did not honor the Son, did not honor the Father that sent Him. When He raised Lazarus from the dead, He said it was done that He, the Son of God, might be glorified by it. He repeatedly called God, His Father. Before the Sanhedrin, with many accusers throwing lies around, He said nothing; but when asked if He was the Son of God, He assented.

  And lastly, the most important witness is that of the Father. When God sent Michael to Mary, the angel told her that she would give birth to the Son of God. The Father said at His baptism that Jesus is His beloved Son and He is well pleased with Him. And yet again, on the Mount of Transfiguration, God called Jesus, His beloved Son.

  His birth was a miraculous birth, as He was placed in Mary’s womb by the Holy Spirit. He was sent by God to save His people from their sins and to give them eternal life. He was focused on obeying His Father and doing His will. He forgave sins, as His Father did. He perform mighty miracles, just like the Father. He raised the dead, just like God. His character was that of the Father: holy and without sin. He is equal with God, one with the Father. He is God!

  All of this is in God’s word, regarding Jesus, His Son. The one truth that no other religion will admit to, is that Jesus is the Son of God. They will call Him a prophet. They will admit that He was real and did some great things, but they fall short of acknowledging Him as the Son of God. He is very much the Son of the God, and because we believe, He has given us the right to become sons of God. What a privilege and honor to have God as our Father. If you have not recognized the Son of God before today, I trust that after reading this blog, you more fully see Him as He is: Jesus, the Beloved Son of God! And don’t forget, once you believe, you are ______________, the beloved son of God! (Fill in the blank with your name! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in God, Jesus, Son of God | 0 Comments | Tagged beloved Son, Holy Spirit, Jesus, John, John the Baptist, Luke, Mark, Peter walking on wate, resurrection, Salvation, supernatural, the Father, the Son of God, the Word of God, well pleased, witness

• Jesus, Son of David!

  Posted at 2:40 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on June 27, 2020

  Matthew 1:1 – “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham” NKJV

  

  When I read the word of God I am amazed at how God sets things in order. Nothing happened, just because. It all was part of His plan for redeeming mankind, displaying His love, developing us as His own peculiar treasure, revealing Himself. Just amazing!

  Such was the case of each leader in the Old Testament. They not only were a part of the Grand Scheme of God, but they point us to Jesus! Abraham was a prophetic demonstration of God’s love for us as the one who would offer up His only Son for us, Jesus, the Seed of Abraham. Moses was a prophetic picture of Jesus, the deliverer. And King David revealed Jesus as King of kings. Let’s look at King David.

  Although, Abraham was before David, in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus is mentioned first as the Son of David, and then as the son of Abraham. That’s because the Jewish nation understood that the Son of David, was their title for the Messiah to come, and Matthew purposefully declares Jesus to be, the Son of David, and then gives His genealogy to prove it.

  This was intentional on Matthew part because he understood that Jewish people placed a high value on a person’s ancestry. We know this to be true because of the long records in the Pentateuch, which give us great details of who fathered whom. When Ezra reorganized the temple worship, the Jews had to prove their family tree with records and those who could not, of the tribe of Levi, were not allowed to serve as priests. So lineage was extremely important and this is why Matthew begins his account of the life of Jesus in this manner.

  In 2 Samuel 7:13, God said to David, “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever.” God established the Davidic covenant with these verses. He promised David that his seed would be the one that would have a forever kingdom. Several of the promises made to David at this time were in fact related to Solomon, heir to the throne. But verse 13, was in reference to the Messiah, Jesus, who was yet to come! The future Messiah!

  Luke confirms that Jesus, the Son of David, was indeed the one who would have a forever kingdom. In chapter 1, verses 32-33, we read- “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Many prophecies in the Old Testament foretold of a kingdom that would have no end. We know that to be true today.

  There are two important ways that David and Jesus are mirrored. David was a shepherd. As a shepherd he cared for the sheep and protected them when necessary. Jesus, Himself, declared that He was, and is, the Good Shepherd and He refers to His people as His sheep. He takes care of us, protects us, and provides us, just as David did with his sheep. They are both kings. David’s kingship ended with his death, but he is known to be Israel’s greatest king. His kingdom was taken by force, and he ruled as one who loved the Lord. Jesus’ kingdom is taken by force. He rules as one who is God. He has established a forever kingdom and it is still in operation. He is Jesus, King of kings. From His birth, when the wise men came looking for the King who was born, to His death on the cross, where they nailed a sign King of the Jews, to today, He has been king! And guess what, He will still be King when we leave here, and when we meet Him in heaven.

  The Old Testament tells us some very important things concerning the Messiah, the Son of David:

  • He would reign forever
  • He would rule over all the people of the earth
  • He would be both King and Priest
  • He would bring a new covenant
  • He would provide forgiveness of sins

  Jesus fulfilled all of this and so much more!

  In the New Testament, Jesus was referred to as the Son of David on several occasions:

  • Matthew 12:23- Could this be the Son of David?- After Jesus healed the man who was demon-possessed, and was both blind and mute
  • Matthew 15: 22- Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! – The Spyro-Phoenician woman who wanted the crumbs from the under the table for her daughter’s healing
  • Matthew 20:30- Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David”- two blind men cried for their sight
  • Matthew 21-15- “Hosanna to the Son of David!” – the children cried in the temple when they saw Jesus
  • Matthew 22:42- Jesus asks the Pharisees how could David call his descendant, his Lord? They responded that he was the Son of David, basically the Messiah!

  Why did they call Jesus the Son of David after these miracles? Because the Old Testament references to the Messiah declared that the Messiah would open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert.” NKJV

  There are so many wonderful truths about Jesus, the Son of David, and how their lives were mirror images, but can I share some that are dear to my heart?

  David, was the first Old Testament person who had the Spirit of God with him always. Jesus also had the Spirit of God with Him always, although, without sin. David also brought in the realization of a personal relationship with God, and Jesus was and is the fulfillment of that personal relationship with God. David was a man who sought the face of God, and Jesus was always praying. David was a great servant-leader, and Jesus was a greater servant-leader. David cared deeply for his people, and Jesus demonstrated great compassion for His people. And the list can go on!

  I will return to my first observation in this post. God is so intentional. Every detail has been well thought out! As I have been working on this post and thinking about these things, it has caused me to realize that He didn’t stop being intentional after Jesus. He is still just as intentional in our lives. I can’t explain delays, or disappointments, or how they fit in the whole tapestry of life; but I am confident that He misses nothing, and He is working out His own plan; for my life, for the sake of the kingdom, for the return of Jesus! Wonderful, wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Jesus, King David, Messiah | 0 Comments | Tagged David, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, king, Kingdom of God, Prayer, provision, Salvation, shepherd

• Jesus, The Prophet Like Moses

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on June 25, 2020

  Deuteronomy 18:15 – “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.” NIV

  

  Moses was quite the prophet. He is still held high in the esteem of both the Jewish and Christian faith. He was most definitely one to love and hate, as the new Moses, Jesus is; loved by those who believe in Him, and hated by those who fear Him.

  The Bible confirms for us through the words of Matthew, Peter, and even Stephen that Jesus was in fact, that prophet like Moses. When Stephen was defending his belief in Jesus before the mob that stoned him, he quoted the verse in Deuteronomy, as a reference to Jesus. Acts 7:37 – “This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.’ After the lame man was healed at the temple in Jerusalem, Peter also used this verse to describe Jesus, as the promised Messiah, the Prophet like Moses.

  Let’s look at ways that Moses’ life paralleled Jesus:

  • Moses was born when the male children were being killed by Pharaoh ; the male children were slaughtered by Herod.
  • Josephus wrote that Pharaoh was told of a Hebrew boy who would be born and bring down the Egyptian kingdom, while liberating the Israelites. Herod was told about the birth of a king, whom Herod tried to annihilate for fear of losing his kingdom.
  • When God told Moses to return to Egypt, God told him that those who sought his life was dead. Similarly, when the angel spoke to Joseph, he told Joseph to return home because those who sought the life of Jesus was dead.
  • Moses went on the mount to receive the laws of God, and Jesus went on the mountain to deliver the Sermon on the Mount.
  • Moses fasted for forty days and nights, Jesus fasted for forty days and nights.
  • Moses performed many miracles, Jesus performed many more miracles.
  • Moses provided manna in the wilderness, Jesus provided bread and fish in the wilderness-first to 5,000 and then to 4,000.
  • Moses parted the Red Sea, Jesus walked on water.
  • Moses healed Miriam of leprosy, Jesus cleansed ten lepers.
  • When Moses left the presence of the Lord, his face shone and he hid it behind a veil, when Jesus left the Mount of Transfiguration, his face shone like the sun.
  • God made a covenant with the children of Israel called the Mosaic Covenant, and He made a covenant with us, called the New Covenant!

  The most powerful way that Moses was like Jesus, or that Jesus is the second Moses, is that they were both deliverers. God gave Moses the assignment of going to Egypt and telling Pharaoh to “let my people go”. Moses did this through a series of miracles, the last one saw the Egyptians drowning in the Red Sea.

  Matthew 1:21, states that Jesus would save His people from their sins. That’s exactly what He does when He is believed upon, He saves people from their sins. The natural Exodus, was a type and shadow of the spiritual Exodus. The Passover feast pointed to the death of the Messiah. What Jesus did at Calvary was far more powerful than what Moses did in the Exodus. Moses’ deliverance was temporary, Jesus’ deliverance is everlasting! Jesus died, then went to hell and made a public spectacle over our enemy, the devil, triumphing over him, as conqueror!

  Moses delivered not only the children of Israel from Egypt, but he delivered the Law to them. Jesus came in fulfillment of that Law. Where the Law was binding under Moses, it was freeing under Jesus! Where the Law was filled with blood sacrifices, Jesus shed His Blood, once and for all! Where the Law was a shadow of things to come, Jesus was the Word made flesh! Where the Law was a constant reminder of sins, Jesus brought a constant reminder of grace and mercy!

  Jesus, the Prophet like Moses, was a far better Moses! These are the correlations that spoke to me, and I hope they help you to see that Moses, in all that he did, he did to point the children of Israel to the true Messiah, Jesus the Christ! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Deliverance, Jesus, Moses | 0 Comments | Tagged Deliverance, deliverer, Exodus, freedom, Herod, Jesus, leprosy, miraculous, Moses, Pharaoh, prophet, Salvation, slaughter of the male children

• Jesus, the Seed of Abraham!

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on June 23, 2020

  Galatians 3:16 – Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ. NKJV

  

  Genesis is the book of beginnings! It is in this book that God begins His redemptive plan for mankind. Actually, it was begun before the foundations of the world, but it is in the first book of the Bible that we see the plan begin to unfold. I am going to do a series about Jesus and how He was the spiritual fulfillment of types and shadows in the Old Testament.

  God told Abraham, when He called him out of Ur, that He was going to bless him. Abraham wanted a son more than anything else and God promises to deliver a son. Then when Isaac is deep in Abraham’s heart, God tells him to go and sacrifice Isaac, his only son, to the Lord. Abraham obeys the Lord and as he is about to take Isaac’s life, God stops him. The Lord then tells him:

  Genesis 22:17-18 – “blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” NKJV

  Now, we might say that this referred to Isaac. And you will be correct, because through Isaac, God multiplied Abraham’s seed and they now live all over the earth. But that wasn’t the only thing that God meant. Paul, being intentional, let us know that this seed God referred to was not “seeds” as in descendants, but to a particular seed, as in Jesus, singular.

  When Matthew begins his record of the genealogy of Jesus, he begins with Abraham letting us know that Jesus was the seed of Abraham. This is important because Jesus was a natural descendant of the father of faith, or the patriarch of Israel, Abraham!

  God’s promise, that the nations of the world would be blessed through Abraham’s Seed is therefore, not fulfilled in Isaac, but in Jesus! In the book of Revelation, John wrote, that we are called out of every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. All because of the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the salvation that He bestows to all those who believe. Paul also let’s us know that the promise came to Abraham when he had stepped out in faith and obeyed God and that through faith we receive Jesus and have access to the same favor and blessings that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the children of Israel had access to.

  Not only that, but the promise of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus said was the promise of the Father, was part of that promise made to Abraham. (Galatians 3:14) And Isaac was not capable of bestowing or being party to making that a reality. This promise to Abraham covered every aspect of our lives, natural blessings, salvation, the promise of the Holy Spirit, and access to the Father.

  Jesus, is a fulfillment of the covenant that God made with Abraham. Through Jesus all the nations have an opportunity to be blessed. Through Jesus, Abraham’s Seed, there have been an innumerable, increase in in the Body of Christ. Surely we have increased to the point that we are more numerous than the sand in the sea or the stars in the sky. And contrary to polls and naysayers, we are continually growing.

  Also, we are possessing the gates of our enemy. Jesus has given us authority to trample over demons; authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out; and authority over all the works of the devil. Isaac was not able to bring us to the place where we could possess the gates of the enemy!

  So let’s look at what we have in Jesus because He is the seed of Abraham:

  • If we are of faith, we are blessed with believing Abraham
  • Jesus has redeemed us from the curse of the law of sin and death
  • Abraham’s blessing are to come upon us through Christ Jesus
  • We will receive the promise of the Spirit through faith
  • We are justified by faith
  • We are sons of God through faith
  • We are heirs according to the promise
  • We’re all one in Christ Jesus

  It was so important to our redemption, that Jesus fulfill the promise of God as the Seed of Abraham! When I read the Old Testament, I marvel at all God did for the children of Israel, but I don’t have to be jealous, for I also am an heir to the same blessings they experienced and so much more! I’m gonna get my blessings, right now! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Blessing of Abraham, Jesus, Promises of God | 0 Comments | Tagged Abraham, Blessing of Abraham, blessings, Galatians, heirs, heirs with Christ, Holy Spirit, Jesus, redemption, Salvation, seed, sons of God

• A Loving Father!

  Posted at 3:35 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on June 20, 2020

  Luke 15:11-13,17,20 – “To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. NLT

  

  This parable is used a lot in sermons on Father’s Day, so I decided to do the same. In our Bible, the subtitle over this parable is “The Prodigal Son”, but most would say that this parable should be labeled, “The Loving Father” because it is more about the father’s love for his sons, then the sons themselves. You will have to read the entire parable on your own.

  Jesus tells a parable about a father and his two sons. The youngest son asks the father for his inheritance. Under Jewish law, the elder son would inherit the largest portion of the wealth (two-thirds), and the other son would inherit the rest (one-third). The father gets the money together, gives it to his son, and his son leaves. The son spends all he had on living large, a famine hits, and he finds himself feeding pigs. When he comes to his senses, he decided to head home to be a servant in his father’s house. The father receives him warmly, the big brother isn’t happy, but the father says he was lost but now is found! That’s it in a nutshell!

  The youngest son hurt his father in asking for his inheritance, which he wasn’t entitled to until the death of his father. What insult this must have been to the father! The son then leaves, with his money, and goes to enjoy his life and freedom. He spends everything quicker than he could have imagined, then a famine sets in. What a waste of money, time, and life! After he hits rock bottom, he decides going home as a servant is better than the life that he is living.

  The elder son on the other hand is at home taking care of business. He and his brother may not have been close before he left, but he definitely isn’t feeling his brother after he leaves. When his brother was home, he may have had some help with the work, but now he has to manage things on his own. He is probably becoming angrier by the day.

  The father loves both his sons. He is hurt that his youngest son has left, but instead of using manipulation or his authority to keep his son at home, he releases him. He continues life at home, but always with an eye on the road for his son to return home. He watches daily for him, probably with much concern and much prayer.

  Then the son returns! Hallelujah! The father is so excited. He sees the son before he arrives and rushes out to greet him. He embraces his son as one who was lost and puts a robe on him, restoring his honor as a son. He gives him a ring, restoring his authority as a son. He gives him shoes, restoring his place of sonship. Then he gives him a party, restoring their relationship, for he deemed him as lost, but now found. Much love and much forgiveness was extended to this son.

  The youngest son, has returned a broken young man. He is starving and humbled. He has realized the weight of all he has done and feel unworthy to be called a son. He has decided that his life is so bad off, even being a servant at home is better than what he has in the pig pen. He is probably embarrassed and ready to be attacked by his older brother, disowned by his father, and disrespected by the servants. But he returns to his father. Not his home, his father!

  The elder son was not called from his work to join the party. So when he comes in for the evening a realizes a party is being given to celebrate the return of his brother, he is angry and refuses to join in. The father finds him outside and tries to talk some sense in him. The son says that he has never had a kid killed for him to make merry with his friends, even though he had served him faithfully. He was hurt that his brother, who he imagined to have done the vilest things in life while away, was being treated as if he had returned from a long journey, instead of leaving with his inheritance, leaving them all behind! Although he wasn’t called from work to join the party, he was expected to join in the festivities. The father tries to reassure the elder son that his place and inheritance was secure. This didn’t mean that he was loved less. But it was right to celebrate the return of his brother!

  This is another parable that is full of meaning, and too hard to truly digest in a blog. The father’s great love represents, our heavenly Father’s great love for us. We can never do anything that will separate us from His love. He is always willing to forgive us, and to receive us back into the fold. This is what Jesus wanted us to know. The younger son’s attitude when he returned to the father, is the attitude that we should have when we sin. It’s against the father that we sin, and to the father we must return and ask forgiveness. The lowest place in the kingdom of God, is better than the highest place outside the kingdom. Then the attitude of the elder son is not the right attitude. All that he said was true, but to not be excited at the return of the brother, shows that the elder son had his own issues he needed to repent of.

  I could’ve easily titled this, “How is This Even Fair, part 2”, because that was exactly the heart of the elder son. It is difficult for some people to understand the loving nature of the Father. The Jews had difficulty understanding the Father’s love for the Gentiles. Some have a hard time understanding “jailhouse” salvation. While others have difficulty understanding, deathbed salvations. But that is only because they have a hard time understanding the heart of a truly loving Father! He is always willing, ready, and waiting to embrace us and bring us back to Himself. This Father’s Day, return to the love of the Father! Don’t worry about what others think, when the Father is watching for your return!

  A very happy and blessed Father’s Day to all of the dads who read this blog, and those whose loved ones read this blog! God bless you richly! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Father’s Day, Parable of Jesus | 0 Comments | Tagged Attitude, brothers, Forgiveness, Jesus, love, parable, prodigal son, relationships, Salvation, service, the Father’s love

• It’s in the Name!

  Posted at 4:03 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on May 30, 2020

  Matthew 1:20-23 – “But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). NIV

  

  Have you ever stopped to wonder why Isaiah said that His name would be Immanuel, but He is actually Jesus? When I first came to know the Lord, it was one of those questions I had. Well, you may be in the advanced class and know this already, but I just wanted to share, in case there are those who are still wondering.

  In the Bible, names had meanings that represented a message that God was sending, or a calling/ministry on an individual’s life, or a memorial to something that was going on. I think of Ichabod, which means the glory has departed from Israel. So every time someone referred to him, or he heard his name, or thought of his name, he was forever reminded that on the day of his birth, his dad, his uncle, and his grandfather died, and the glory departed from Israel. Poor baby! Another interesting time of naming kids happened when Hosea and Gomer had children. He had a daughter named Lo-Ruhamah, which means “not loved” for God had decided that He would no longer show love to Israel. How messed up would a young lady be with this name today, if she knew that her mother had named her “not loved”? But for the record, God wasn’t saying the daughter was not loved, just that He would no longer show love to Israel.

  The name Jesus was a common Hebrew name. (Actually in Hebrew, it is Yeshua, and in the Greek, it is Joshua). When the Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, to calm his fears in regard to marrying Mary, and to inform him of the unique assignment he and Mary were being given, the Angel told him to name the baby, Jesus. The reason Joseph was to name the baby Jesus was because He, Jesus, would save His people from their sins. Then Matthew informs us that this is in fulfillment of the prophetic word given by Isaiah.

  Well, from what Matthew said, we can understand that the virgin conceived. After all, that was the whole point in the angelic visit, to assure Joseph that Mary hadn’t been dishonest with him. She was truly pregnant by Holy Spirit, and had never been touched by a man, in an illicit affair. So this point was made without a doubt, but the name isn’t Immanuel, it is Jesus. We are told that He will save the people from their sins, but not how He is God with us! And yet, he does!

  The truth that a virgin conceives is a supernatural occurrence. It is out of the norm. It can’t happen. But it did, because God made it happen. He placed the seed of Himself, into Mary, and when Jesus was born, “God with us” became a reality. Throughout the book, Matthew continues to share through the encounters of the Jews with Jesus that He is no ordinary man, but He is, in fact, God. He heals the sick, He multiplies food, He walks on water, and He expels demons; bringing God into the everyday lives of the people. Not the super religious, not the rich, but the lives of the common man. And so He is God with us!

  Matthew ends his book in a way that sums it all up; chapter 28, verse 20 – “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Jesus proclaims to His disciples, and the world, that He is with us always. He, God the Son, is with us! Thus we have the proof, the solidarity of what God said through Isaiah, and what actually happened, that the virgin did conceive and His name is Immanuel. Remember, a name is as much about who we are called, as it is about what we are called to do. So although we call Him Jesus, for He saves us from our sins; we also call Him Immanuel, for He is God with us always!

  Back to the name Jesus! It was a common name, but once the Son of God took on this name, it became a holy name, a name above every name, the most powerful name known to man. Demons tremble at that Name, disease disappears at that Name, power is released at that Name. There is no other Name given amongst men, whereby we can be saved, but the Name of Jesus! Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Holy Spirit, Immanuel, Jesus | 0 Comments | Tagged angelic visitation, Christmas story, dreams, God, God with us, Holy Spirit, Jesus, miraculous, names, Salvation, supernatural, virgin birth

• The Blessing of His Word!

  Posted at 5:43 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on May 23, 2020

  Psalm 119:11 – “Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.” NKJV

  

  Psalm 119 is the longest psalm in the Bible. What makes it such a wonderful psalm is that it speaks of the blessings or benefits of the word of God. Today, I would like to share a few benefits of the word! As you can see from the picture, it is a psalm I have marked up in my personal Bible!

  1. That I might not sin against God- The psalmist wrote the importance of hiding God’s word in our heart, we call it memorizing scripture, that we might not sin against God. How does that work? As you go throughout your day, your life, the word that is in your heart will be quickened in your spirit, at just the right time, to help you.

  2. That I might see wondrous things in the word- The psalmist asked God to open his eyes, not his physical eyes, but his spiritual eyes, that he might see wondrous things in the word. Asking God to open your eyes while reading the word keeps it fresh and interesting. Things He reveal to you during your time of reading become the cornerstone of your faith. It’s one thing to be told He is good, and another thing to have Him reveal that to you through His word!

  3. Strengthen me according to your word-In this verse, the psalmist admits to having a heaviness in his soul; but he recognizes that God’s word will bring him strength. As a matter of fact, this is a request for the word to do just that, strengthen him!

  4. Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end.-There are a lot of people who would rather have someone explain the word to them, than for them to get in the word. The psalmist understands that when God teaches His word to him, he will have a tendency to keep it. Again, being told to live holy, and getting an understanding of why He wants you to live holy through His word, has a greater impact on your life.

  5. Remember the word to your servant, upon which you have caused me to hope-This is a powerful verse. God’s word tells us that we can remind Him of the word upon which He has caused us to hope. Whether that word is a word about salvation, healing, deliverance, strength, if He gave it to you, and caused you to hope on it, you can remind Him of that truth! Prophecies come to encourage us to wait on God. His word is a sure word of prophecy!

  6. Forever, O Lord, your word is settled in heaven- This is a truth of God’s word that every single believer needs to know. It is forever settled! It doesn’t change from year to year, from generation to generation, from situation to situation, the word is settled in heaven! This truth about God’s word is the anchor of faith. It can be trusted because it it does not change!

  7. Unless your law had been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.- Delighting in the Lord is medicinal. When affliction comes upon us, and we delight ourselves in the word of God, it keeps us from perishing in the midst of that affliction. Reading His word should be a delight, not a chore! When we delight in it, the word produces all that we need.

  8. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. – How many of us need direction on a regular basis? I do! The word will lead you in the way to go. It will keep you from having regrets in your life as you allow it to light your path. I can testify over and over again to the word being a lamp to my feet, a light to my path. I have very few regrets in my life as a result of allowing the word to lead me. It’s direction is priceless.

  9. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep your word.-This is key to your victory. When you really know the word, you have the power to turn from evil. You understand by the word it is wrong to commit sexual sin of any kind. When you are convinced of that truth, you walk away from it. Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler wrote a book years ago, that I used in my teens ministry, “Beyond Belief to Convictions”. It’s time to stop just believing the Bible is the word of God and to having a conviction in your soul that it is so!

  10. You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.- His word gives us hope! It is our hiding place during the storm. It is our shield against attacks! It is our safety net in life. And because of the power of God’s word to protect us, we can hope in it for all we need.

  Today’s post is a little long, but I just love talking about the Word! And I have only written about ten of the one hundred seventy six verses of the psalm! So much available to us through His word! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in the Word of God, Victorious Living | 0 Comments | Tagged encouragement, Faith, hard times, Healing, miraculous, protection, provision, Psalm 119, Salvation, testimony, trust in God, victory

• The Choice is Yours!

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on April 30, 2020

  Joshua 24:15 – “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord .” ESV

  

  There are some verses in the Bible that are just classic! This is such a verse. If you are looking for a plaque to put on your wall to express your Christian views, this would be an easy one to find. Some people have it “posted” on the door posts of their home. Hobby Lobby has it in many formats designed to meet every personal taste. And because of its high visibility, it can often lose the potency of its truth!

  Joshua has come to the end of his life. He has fought many natural battles for the Lord and has conquered many enemies. He’s led the children of Israel into the promised land, defeated Jericho, divided the land, and at 110 years old, it’s time to say good-bye.

  You would think that this would’ve been said at the beginning of Joshua’s life, but it’s at his end. Joshua knows the flightiness of the Israelites. He knows that they are bent towards serving other gods and he takes this time to warn them. He says that if it seems evil..How can serving God seem evil? He tells them that they need to make a choice between the false gods in the land they now live and the God who gave them the land. Seems an easy choice. But then he declares that he and his household would serve the Lord!

  During this pandemic we’ve heard and seen a lot of things. We’ve had encouraging words from pastors and leaders who remind us that in the midst of this pandemic, we can choose joy over sorrow, peace over worry, health over sickness and disease. The choice is ours. But we have also had the words that remind us constantly of sickness and death, lack of goods, lack of safety equipment, and an end that seems farther out than we can truly imagine. Did you know that the choice is yours as to whose voice you will hear and whose voice you will listen to?

  After six weeks of being in the house, under the orders of our leadership we’ve become antsy, frustrated, fearful, lonely, poorer, belligerent, and our emotions have run the gamut. But what we are still not seeing, and what we still need to see is a return to the Father.

  When 9-11 happened, we stopped as a nation and we prayed. It was almost as if prayer had been reinstated in the nation’s capital. That was a momentous time for us as we pulled together to help the people of New York, to fight the war of terrorism, to flex our military muscle before our enemies. Churches were seeing more people come and many stayed. All felt as if it must be the last of the last days! And yet, here we are with over 50,000 people who have died to the virus and there has been no climate of spiritual thirst ignited in the land. We have not felt a need to repent and even if we wanted to, we are not able to fill the churches.

  I heard a pastor say that this is not right that the people of God can’t come together to worship! And I’ve seen many break the order and many more honor it. But rather we go to church, listen or watch online, or haven’t decided that doing so makes much difference, the day of reckoning comes for us all when we must decide whom we will serve and why.

  Everyone wants a life of peace. Me included. But it’s through hard times, difficult times that we reevaluate our lives and the reasons for living. During a pandemic is a great time to decide, whom you shall serve? If it seems an evil thing for you to serve the Lord, then don’t serve Him. But truly, from all us who have decided and stand with our decision to serve the Lord, we highly recommend it!

  He is the only One who can give us the peace and hope that we need to ride out the storm or to speak to the storm. He’s the only One who can give us a reason to get up in the morning, even though we can only go to another part of our home, and be thankful we are awake! He’s the only One who can bring someone to our mind to encourage, or bring us to someone’s mind that they might encourage us. He’s the Only One who can take us through this pandemic and cause it to work out for our good. It’s a good time to decide to serve the Lord.

  As a matter of fact, it’s always a good time to decide to serve Him. When my husband and I were courting, we made that decision to serve the Lord. We agreed to worship together, to model our lives after the word, to raise our family according to the word of God. We took them to church, read the Bible with them, discussed it, had them memorize the word, taught them to pray. They have now chosen to serve the Lord for themselves. It’s a beautiful thing! You and your household have the power to choose. No one can choose for you! You must make a choice! It’s one you will never regret! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Choices, hard times, Serving God, trust in God | 0 Comments | Tagged Believer, coronavirus, encouragement, hard times, Joshua, Salvation, trust in God

• Breaking News!

  Posted at 12:42 am by wonderfuljesus8, on April 12, 2020

  Revelation 1:18 -I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. NKJV

  

  As we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, let’s not get caught up in the fact that we couldn’t go to church, we couldn’t get dressed up in our new clothes, and we couldn’t be with family and friends for dinner. These things are all wonderful traditions that make this time a special time. Especially being in church with people of like precious faith!

  Let’s take time to rejoice that He is alive! That’s the most important truth of the Bible. Paul said that if Christ was not raised from the dead, then our faith is a delusion and we are yet in our sins; if in this life only we have hope in Christ, then we are of all people the most miserable! (1 Corinthians 15)

  So, let’s rejoice that He is risen and is alive forevermore. And if you have a loved one, friend or family, who has recently left this life because of the coronavirus or for any reason, and that person died in Him, then know that they also have life eternal and you can and will see them again, for He is the Resurrection and the Life!

  Rejoice! Our Savior is risen! And He is alive! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Easter, Jesus, Resurrection Sunday | 1 Comment | Tagged Christian, Easter, Jesus, resurrection, Resurrection Sunday, Salvation

• The Passion of the Christ!

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on April 9, 2020

  Mark 15:15 – Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. NIV

  One day, in my prayer time, I asked the Lord if He could give me a visual of His crucifixion. I had read it for many years, but didn’t really understand what He had gone through, and being a visual learner, I desired to see the crucifixion. In my own mind I think I had envisioned a dream or a vision, or even a clearer picture of what happened to my Lord, but nothing happened.

  Then one day I heard about a movie coming out, “The Passion of the Christ,” about the crucifixion and I was excited about it. I felt that the Lord had Mel Gibson had put this movie together, led by God on my behalf, in order for me to see what the crucifixion was like! (I know, it wasn’t because of me, but since it was an answer to my prayer, that’s how I feel!)

  I don’t think there are too many Christians alive today who have not seen the movie, and if you haven’t seen it, you should! I promise you from the time they starting beating the actor portraying Jesus, to many hours later, I was completely messed up. I was horrified at the whipping and it broke my heart. I cried uncontrollably and I could not be comforted. They just kept on beating him and beating him and I knew that what my Savior had suffered for me, for mankind was much greater than we could have imagined! Spoiler alert: There was one point when they had beat him so bad, he fell to the ground. But then he picked himself back up for them to continue the beating. I just knew that I knew that the “strength” portrayed was the strength that Jesus would have conveyed through it all! Now that blessed me to no end!!

  What is the passion of the Christ? I most certainly did not know the answer to this question, until I asked it after the movie. You have to cut me some slack, as I wasn’t in a “religious” church and this phrase was new to me. Anyway, the Latin word for “passion” is “passionem” and literally means “suffering, enduring”. And therefore, the passion of the Christ is all about the sufferings He had to deal with after the triumphal entry into Jerusalem all the way to the cross.

  So what were some of these things:

  * He was betrayed by Judas, one of the 12
  * In the Garden of Gethsemane, no one prayed with or for Him
  * He was arrested in front of His disciples, and they fled the scene
  * He was before the Sanhedrin and they falsely accused Him, spit on, and beat on Him
  * He was disowned by Peter three times, one of the 12
  * He was condemned when a murderer was freed
  *He sustained an intense scourging, including a crown of thorns
  * He was made to carry His own cross in His weaken state
  * And then He was nailed on a cross between two thieves

  Let me tell you what I thought it meant! I thought it meant that Jesus was so passionate about saving us, that He was not willing to let anything keep Him from the cross. His passion was revealed in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed so intently that He sweat drops of blood. His passion was revealed when He said that He could have called 12 legions of angels to deliver Him, but He wouldn’t. His passion was revealed, when they beat Him and He said not a word. His passion was revealed as He hung on the cross and extended mercy to the thief! Now that’s passion!!! Not suffering passion but a passion to redeem us from our sins, our diseases, and all that would hold us captive to will of Satan. He was so passionate about dying, because He couldn’t wait to get up out of that grave and return to the Father!! Wonderful Jesus!!!

  Which ever view that you have, know that you are special to heart of God! He loves us so much! Since I’ve already mentioned a song this week, I’ll mention another:

  Oh, how He loves you and me!
  Oh, how He loves you and me!
  He gave His life, what more could He give,
  Oh, how He loves you, oh, how He loves me,
  Oh, how He loves you and me!!

  I’m pretty sure that you can find this song in another blog. It’s one of my personal favorites. I’m so glad He loves us and I’m so glad that His passion drove Him straight to Calvary that I might have the opportunity to return that love to Him forever! Wonderful, wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Easter, Jesus, Resurrection Sunday, Salvation | 0 Comments | Tagged Believer, Easter, encouragement, God, Jesus, resurrection, Resurrection Sunday, Salvation, the Blood of Jesus

• Search for:

• Recent Posts

  • The Devil is a Liar!
  • Your Adversary, the Devil!
  • God, the Sovereign Lord!
  • Angelic Encounter!
  • Is Lying Ever Okay?

• Categories

  • Victorious Living (104)
  • Christian (66)
  • Believers (57)
  • Jesus (40)
  • Faith (34)
  • encouragement (29)
  • testimony (20)
  • Healing (19)
  • Uncategorized (16)
  • the Word of God (15)