Thirsty?

Posted on June 21, 2013 by KD Manes under Salvation

Nothing beats a cup of cold water on a hot summer day.

Just as our bodies hunger and thirst for physical food and water, our souls hunger and thirst for spiritual food and water.

One of my favorite Bible stories is Jesus talking to the woman at the well (John 4:1-26). No respectable Jewish man would be caught talking to one like her. For she was a despised Samaritan woman, a member of the mixed race that the Jews hated. She was also known to be living in sin.

I love that Jesus crossed all barriers to share the good news of the gospel with her.

In the heat of the day, Jesus stopped by the well where she was drawing water. He said to her:

Will you give me a drink?” – John 4:7

Surprised, the Samaritan woman said:

You are Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” – v. 9

Jesus answered:

If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water . . . whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” – vs. 10, 13-14

What did Jesus mean by “living water”? Several Old Testament verses speak about thirsting for God as one thirsts for water (Psalm 42:1; Isaiah 55:1; Jeremiah 2:13; Zechariah 13:1).

God is called the fountain of life (Psalm 36:9) and the spring of water (Jeremiah 17:13). Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah by forever quenching a person’s thirst for God (John 4:25-26). Only the Messiah can give this gift that satisfies the soul’s desire.

Are you spiritually thirsty? There is only One who can forever quench your thirst. His name is Jesus.

Today’s Word

Posted on June 14, 2013 by KD Manes under Salvation

May I share a word with you?

The Apostle John continued:

Through Him all things were made . . . . In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.” – vs. 3-4

John’s use of the Word in Hebrew Scripture is linked with Genesis 1. God created by speaking the universe into orderly existence. Hebrew thought also associated Word as the source of God’s message through His prophets (Hosea 1:2) and God’s law—His standard of holiness (Psalm 119:11).

The philosopher Heraclitus (c. 535-475 B.C.) used the Greek thought of Word/logos as the divine logic, “an ordering principle for the universe.”

John used the Word to describe Jesus as God–a guy he knew and loved, but at the same time was Creator of the universe who perfectly revealed God the Father’s character and holiness.

The educated Greek reader would have understood John’s summary as Christ being the truth; not only the guiding principle of the universe, but also of every person’s soul. Thus, by the person of Christ—the Logos—one may attain harmony with God and His creation.

When Christ became human He became:

the perfect teacher who showed us how we should think (Philippians 2:5-11)
the perfect example who showed us not only how to live, but also enables us to do so (1 Peter 2:21)
the perfect sacrifice that satisfied God’s requirements for the removal of our sin (Colossians 1:15-23)

Jesus is not only our Creator and Sustainer, but He also holds our universe together (Colossians 1:15-17). If we try to live apart from Him, the purpose for which God made us will be void.

To all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God–children not born of natural descent. . . but born of God.” – John. 1:12-13, NIV

Anyone who welcomes Jesus Christ as Lord of their life is reborn spiritually, receiving new life from God. Just as being born physically makes you alive and places you in your parents’ family, being born of God makes you spiritually alive and places you as His child (John 3:1-6).

By trusting and receiving Christ, the Holy Spirit will dwell in you (Romans 8:9-10; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 13:5). God won’t force Himself on anyone, but He will breathe new life into the surrendered soul. He will also rearrange attitudes, desires, and motives.

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17

Have you asked Christ to make you a new person? It’s not too late. This new life is available to all who place their confidence in Jesus Christ, ask for His forgiveness, and confess Him as Lord (Romans 10:8-10).

Works God Requires

Posted on June 7, 2013 by KD Manes under Service

School is out and for the summer. My kids are electrified.

Wish I felt the same. Actually, I am excited to go biking and camping with Eric and the kids, and visit relatives. With baseball season extending through June, then swim lessons and basketball camp, summer will come and go all too soon. I began planning my next posts, afraid my writing will become jumbled with my kids being home. (My desk is the kitchen table. Sigh.) So please be patient if I become more scattered—makes for a good excuse anyway! 🙂

Since I haven’t written much about “Service,” I thought I would explore there. And I am, but not sharing what I envisioned in terms of hands-on ministry ideas and examples, at least not yet. The Lord keeps reminding me of the following passage:

Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.” – John 6:28-29

In this passage, pisteuō is the Greek word for believe. It means not just to credit as real: “Even the demons believe (in one God)—and shudder,” James 2:19. But this term also means to trust; be persuaded of; place confidence in. It implies reliance upon.

God’s satisfaction with us is based on our trust in His Son, Jesus Christ, not on the works we do.

Yes, “faith without deeds is dead” (James 2:26), but our service, obedience, and following God are not substitutions for salvation or earning God’s favor. Rather, our service to God verifies our faith in Christ.

My next few posts will center on God’s saving faith through Jesus, the eternal God.

I have been blessed and challenged in sharing God’s truths here, as well as encouraged by reading several others’ posts. THANK YOU to everyone who has encouraged me in this pursuit. The Lord laid this blogging thing on my heart when my husband was sick in the hospital last winter. After some prayer, He made it clear what I should write—which I’m thankful. (Trust me, you don’t want to read about my daily tasks or what we ate for dinner.) 🙂 Anyway, I enjoy digging into God’s Word. I love how the Holy Spirit speaks personally to the sincere seeker.

Is there a topic you are interested in? What are your summer plans? Anyone planning a vacation? Camping? New job? New hobby? Old hobby? Any prayer requests? I would love to hear from you!

Even The Demons Believe (thehallowedpath.wordpress.com)
Meaning of Life? (joequatronejr.wordpress.com)
Popular Bible Verses About Surrendering to God (christianity.answers.com)
The Answers as We Step Ahead (mdshields.wordpress.com)
Faith, or Works, or Faith and Works? (rethinkingtheology.com)

Driving Knowledge

Posted on May 3, 2013 by KD Manes under God's Call

I nervously saddled up for my first ride on my Suzuki DR650SE dual sport motorcycle. My husband’s backup plan―if the motorcycle riding isn’t my thing―will be an economical commuter for him. My twelve year-old also assures me that he can ride it if I crash.

Now that’s comforting!

After riding behind Eric, (my husband), down a nearby canyon dirt road, and maneuvering through a herd of cattle, we stopped at an empty lot for my first lesson.

“Remember, clutch first,” he said.

“And which side is the clutch on?”

“Left,” he pointed a second time. “Your brake is on the right . . . . Remember driving a stick shift car? It’s the same, only your clutch is here.”

I haven’t driven a stick shift in 15 years! Maybe we should just go to McDonald’s and enjoy a romantic moment―without kids―over a strawberry smoothie. The thought was tempting, but my boys were wagering on my resolve.

Eric, however, remained calm. “Gradually twist the throttle and release the clutch. Let the bike balance you. Don’t put your feet down until you come to a complete stop or they will drag behind you. Start in first. It’s the only gear you push down.”

“Which side are the gears on?”

“Left . . . . The right foot controls the rear brake. But when you brake, do it together with your right hand, which controls the front. And, you’ll need to brake while clutching when the engine begins to lug.”

Uhg, so many rules! But he certainly had my attention. He really believes I can drive this. I swing my leg over the seat. This is a lot bigger than my old mini bike! . . . . Clutch first. Replaying his instructions in my mind, I went through the motions step by step. And . . . .

I cruised!

Well, I cruised slowly in first gear anyway, but I didn’t crash―thanks to Eric and his patient instructions. Like a child graduating from training wheels, I progressed to third gear. Okay, I admit that I killed the engine a couple of times. But the freedom of riding motivates me to learn this new skill.

Sorry boys, I may not be motocross material, but I’m not ready to hand over the bike!

Rules. Most of us chafe under directives, including Yours Truly. Why? They appear to constrict our freedom. But I’m grateful for Eric’s driving instructions. He saved me from kissing the pavement.

Similarly, God desires our safety in our daily journey. His directives are laid on a foundation of love, fairness, and compassion. Although it takes time, discipline, and hard work, consistently reading the Bible unwraps God’s truth, wisdom, and map for our earthly journey.

Although God’s holy standards reveal our sin, because we have all failed to keep his laws perfectly (Matthew 5:48), when we seek God’s salvation and forgiveness in Christ, we have freedom from sin and oppressive guilt. I am so thankful for Christ’s provision on the cross. We no longer live under the old covenant period, which was a shadow of the real Christ (Hebrews 8).

God knows what’s best for us. He knows we can only follow and obey Him through the indwelling power of His Holy Spirit (Philippians 4:13; Ephesians 1:19-20). Obeying God’s precepts frees us to be all He designed us to be. His guidelines make a way for us to participate in His holiness and avoid paths that lead to destruction (Deuteronomy 8:10-20; 11:26-27). If that’s not enough, our obedience to Him stores up treasure in heaven (Luke 12:33).

Interestingly, Psalm 119 is the longest psalm and chapter in the Bible. We are repetitively instructed to meditate on God’s Word. God’s promise to “preserve life” is alluded to 11 times in this chapter. No wonder the psalmist writes of rejoicing in God’s statutes: “as one rejoices in great riches” (vs. 14).

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

– Jesus (Matthew 24:25)

The following are a few links for a more in-depth study of God’s laws:

http://www.truthforlife.org/blog/law-leads-christ-and-redemption/

Click to access nq070412.pdf

http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Matt/Christians-Must-Obey-Gods-Law

http://www.keyway.ca/htm2005/20050805.htm

I found the following video both funny and inspiring:

http://www.godvine.com/Simon-Cowell-Made-Fun-of-This-Gospel-Singer-Then-Everyone-is-Blown-Away-3177.html

Victory In Jesus

Posted on March 29, 2013 by KD Manes under Salvation

“For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:2

I find it interesting that there are hundreds of messianic prophecies in the Old Testament of the Bible―God’s revelation predicting the coming Messiah. These 39 books were written between 1450 B.C. and 430 B.C. God chose to reveal His plan to redeem mankind, and each of His proclamations about the coming Messiah has been revealed in Jesus.

God revealed to the prophet Amos, who lived 700 years before Jesus was crucified, that “on that day” the sun will set at noon and darkness will cover the earth (Amos 8:9). And then Matthew, one of many eyewitnesses, confirms that the entire land became dark for three hours (Matthew 27:45). This darkness at Jesus’ crucifixion is Matthew’s first supernatural sign before God’s salvation of the world.

When darkness swallowed the sun, Jesus swallowed death in victory.

The Psalmist in Psalm 118:15b-17 (HCSB) predicts Christ’s rising from the grave:

“The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly! ¹⁶The Lord’s right hand is raised. The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!” ¹⁷I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the Lord has done.

Mark 16:6 (NIV) records an angel saying,

Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.”

The Father raised Jesus up in the power of His Holy Spirit, seating Him at His right hand―to His original position before Jesus took on flesh (John 1:1-5). Jesus reigns victoriously (Philippians 2:9-11) and will one day reign in justice over His new earth (Revelation 21). The question I must ask myself: Does Jesus reign victoriously in my heart, or am I harboring sin?

I love that the apostle Paul gives the image of God’s children sitting victoriously with Christ in the “heavenly realms,” replacing the image of us as being objects of God’s wrath due to our sin (Ephesians 2:1-9). This is made possible only because our sinless Lord took our deserved punishment upon Himself (Isaiah 53:4-12). Our eternal life is secured only through Jesus Christ (1 John 5:11-12).

As God’s children, do we embrace God’s grace and extend it to others?

Maybe you’re unsure whether or not you are God’s child. This is a decision only you can make. The church can’t save you. Your good works or parents’ faith can’t save you.

There are no guarantees for tomorrow. Isaiah 55:6-7 says,

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.⁷Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on them, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.”

If God is knocking on your heart’s door, please don’t ignore Him. I encourage you to call out to Christ, seek His forgiveness, and ask Him to save you. He loves you!