Tag: For God so loved the world

One Very Important Sentence

On By Judy GlasserIn OctoberLeave a comment

This one sentence does a great job of summing up the Great News – “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.

If you wanted to memorize just one verse of the entire Bible, this would be it. 

God loved us so much that he sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for all of our sins for all time on the cross.  Because of Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection, those of us who put our faith in him can have an eternal relationship with God which starts here on earth and ends in heaven …. forever.

This is the most important news anyone can ever hear. 

People who are not Christ-followers don’t realize it, but they are looking for Jesus.  They might think they are looking for a better job, a better spouse or a better house, but they are really looking for Jesus.  We were all created with a God – shaped hole which only God can fill.  There will be an emptiness in our lives until we accept the salvation offered by Jesus, make him Lord of our lives and live in his Light.

I know this for a fact because I have felt that emptiness.

Have you?

The reality of this unfilled God-sized hole in people’s lives explains a lot of what you and I are seeing in our world right now.  People are looking for something and they aren’t finding it so there is anger, frustration, confusion and unrest.  Evil thrives in this kind of environment. 

Jesus is the only answer.

I cannot remember a time in my life when it was more important for those of us who have put our faith in Jesus to share our stories, share the Good News, share our trust in God and share that we know how this story is going to end.  Judging those who do not know Jesus is not the right response to what we see happening in our world. Jesus reminds us today that loving those who haven’t accepted the free gift of salvation yet is the right answer.

You and I can see the darkness that Satan is masterminding in our broken world.  Satan is winning some battles, but we have nothing to fear – God has already won the war.

Amen!  Hallelujah!

What I Haven’t Done

On By Judy GlasserIn December2 Comments

The things I should have done, but didn’t,

seem like less of a problem than the things I have done that I shouldn’t have.

Do you feel this way, too?   When I don’t do something I should have done, I rarely feel the same guilt and regret that I have after doing something I never should have done.

Is that because the things I should have done but didn’t do are invisible?  It didn’t happen so there is no evidence that I should have done it?

James tells us, “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is a sin for them.”  James 4:17.

God knows everything – even my thoughts.  There are no secrets from him.  When I am prompted by the Holy Spirit to do something or say something and I don’t do it,  God knows.  Sure, his grace kicks in and my sins are covered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, but it’s still wrong.

I need to keep my eyes and ears open to these promptings so I don’t miss the opportunities God gives me to partner with him in his plan to redeem the people around me and deepen their faith.  I want to make sure my hands and feet are available for his kingdom purposes.

During this special time of year, I often hear the Spirit whispering in my ear,

“For God so loved the world.”

God loves the people in this world so I need to love the people in this world.

Please let me be a part of helping the world believe in you, Abba Father, so they will accept your free gift of grace and live in your love.

The Only Answer

On By Judy GlasserIn OctoberLeave a comment

Are you looking for answers to your questions?  To your problems?  To your emptiness?

I was…until I found the answer.

There is one sentence in the Bible that tells us the theme of the whole book. “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

If you want to remember just one verse of the entire Bible, this would be it.  This is the Gospel, the Good News     

God loved us so much that he sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for all of our sins for all time on the cross.  Because of Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection, those of us who put our faith in him can have an eternal relationship with God which starts here on earth and ends in heaven …. forever.

This is the best and most important news anyone can ever hear.  People who are not Christ-followers don’t know it, but they are looking for Jesus.  They might think they are looking for a better job, a better spouse or a better house, but they are really looking for Jesus.  We were all created with a God – shaped hole which only God can fill.  There will be an emptiness in our lives until we accept the salvation offered by Jesus and live in his Light.

This emptiness explains a lot of what we’re seeing go on in our world right now, doesn’t it?  People are looking for something and they aren’t finding it so there is growing anger, frustration, confusion and unrest.  Evil thrives in this kind of environment.  This will continue until they look to Jesus to fill that hole.  He’s the only answer.

I cannot remember a time in my life when it was more important for those of us who have put our faith in Jesus to share our stories, share the Good News, share our trust in God and share that we know how this story is going to end.  Judging those who do not know Jesus is not the right response to what is going on.  Jesus tells us today that loving those who haven’t accepted the free gift of salvation yet – like God does –  is what we are supposed to be doing.

God has already claimed victory, we’re just living through the mess that Satan is masterminding.  Satan is winning some battles, but we have nothing to fear – God has won the war.

Amen!  Hallelujah!

Coming Straight at You

On By Judy GlasserIn JuneLeave a comment

One of my favorite things about the Chronological Bible is that the words of the prophets are placed into the reading so they are talking straight at the kings and people who God called them to warn.

God sent the prophet Amos to both Israel and Judah to call out the current religious establishment.  The religious leaders in Judah were leading their people to develop meaningless religious traditions while refusing to do what God really wanted them to do – give mercy and justice to the oppressed and needy.

Israel was experiencing a time of prosperity which led them to a lifestyle of greed and immorality.

Sound familiar?  Do we see any of this in our culture today?  Immorality – have you turned on your TV lately? Have you looked at billboards along the freeways?  Greed – there are so many examples its hard to figure out where to start.  People will do anything these days for money.

As I read the book of Amos, God speaks to my heart and asks me to critically evaluate my religious habits and my ethical conduct.  He also warns me against complacency – getting too comfortable.

I’m careful to keep my relationship with God as my first priority, not religious habits.  When someone tells me they aren’t into organized religion, I tell them I’m not either – I’m totally into having a close relationship with God.  That always gets their attention.

But I know what God means by being too comfortable.  I used to live in a nice Christian bubble.  All of my close friends were Christian.  Everyone on my social calendar was a Christian.  I knew some non-Christians at work but everyone in my personal world was a believer.

This is the definition of complacent.

For God so loved the world……we have been commissioned to tell the world the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.  That’s not comfortable – that’s being stretched and reaching into the mess that is our culture today with the love of Jesus.  Now my calendar always includes places and relationships where I can be the light and let the love of God flow through me out to people who don’t know him.

Take a close look at your life.  Have you wandered into some immorality?  Or greed?  Or meaningless religious traditions?  Or complacency?

If that’s true, it’s time to turn back to God. “Seek me and live” God tells us in Amos 5:6. When we repent, he restores.  And he renews.  And he changes us from the inside out.

Thank you, Abba Father.

One Very Important Sentence

On By Judy GlasserIn October4 Comments

This one sentence does a great job of summing up the Good News – “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.”

If you wanted to memorize just one verse of the entire Bible, this would be it.  John 3:16. 

God loved us so much that he sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for all of our sins for all time on the cross.  Because of Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection, those of us who put our faith in him can have an eternal relationship with God which starts here on earth and ends in heaven …. forever.

This is the most important news anyone can ever hear.  People who are not Christ-followers don’t know it, but they are looking for Jesus.  They might think they are looking for a better job, a better spouse or a better house, but they are really looking for Jesus.  We were all created with a God – shaped hole which only God can fill.  There will be an emptiness in our lives until we accept the salvation offered by Jesus and live in his Light.

This emptiness explains a lot of what we’re seeing go on in our world right now.  People are looking for something and they aren’t finding it so there is anger, frustration, confusion and unrest.  Evil thrives in this kind of environment.  This will continue until they look to Jesus to fill that hole.  He’s the only answer.

I cannot remember a time in my life when it was more important for those of us who have put our faith in Jesus to share our stories, share the Good News, share our trust in God and share that we know how this story is going to end.  Judging those who do not know Jesus is not the right response to what is going on.  Jesus tells us today that loving those who haven’t accepted the free gift of salvation yet is the right answer.

God has already claimed victory, we’re just living through the mess that Satan is masterminding.  Satan is winning some battles, but we have nothing to fear – God has won the war.

Amen!  Hallelujah!

What I Haven’t Done

On By Judy GlasserIn DecemberLeave a comment

The things I should have done,

but didn’t,

seem like less than of problem than the things I have done that I shouldn’t have.

Are you with me on this?

Is that because the things I should have done but didn’t are invisible?  It didn’t happen so there is no evidence that I should have done it?  Or maybe the lack of action is much clearer in the rear view mirror than it is in the moment?

James tells us, “Remember, it is a sin to know what you ought to do and not do it.”

God knows everything – even my thoughts.  There are no secrets from him.  When I am prompted by the Holy Spirit to do something or say something and I don’t do it,  God knows.  Sure, his grace kicks in and my sins are covered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, but it’s still wrong.

I need to keep my eyes and ears open to these promptings so I don’t miss the opportunities God give me to partner with him in his plan to redeem the people around me and deepen their faith.  I want to make sure my hands and feet are available for his kingdom purposes.

During this special time of year, I often hear the Spirit whispering in my ear,

“For God so loved the world.”

Please let me be a part of helping the world believe in you, Abba Father, so they will accept your free gift of grace and live in your love.

Whoever…

On By Judy GlasserIn NovemberLeave a comment

Whenever.

Me, you, your family, your neighbors…..

someone you like……

and someone you don’t like.

“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.”

Here it is – the Great News of the Gospel all in one verse!  Jesus told this to Nicodemus very early in his ministry.

Whoever.

Jesus’ arms are wide open for everyone.

Satan loves to twist the truth (always) when he whispers into people’s ears “God doesn’t really love everyone – why does Jesus say he’s the only way to heaven?  Shouldn’t there be lots of ways?”

Read John 3:16 again……slowly.

God loves us – all of us.  And he has paved the way of grace for all of us to be with him in heaven.  But there’s a price to be paid for our rebellion, lack of faith and sin.  And Jesus paid that price.  When any of us anywhere at any time accept salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, the punishment that should have been ours is erased.  It’s gone.  Jesus’ death made our once-and-for-all forgiveness possible.

So let’s not let Satan get us all tangled up in his lies.  Let’s not let Satan distract us by offering ‘other ways’ that he tries to sell as more culturally relevant.

The truth doesn’t change.  John 3:16 is as important to us today as it was to Nicodemus thousands of years ago.

God loves the world and his grace is available FREE to everyone – even a thief on a cross who believed for the first time with his last breath.

Thank you for your gift of grace, Abba Father.

A Great Light Has Come!

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

Isaiah 9, 2018 – 

I was once walking in darkness, but now I have seen a great light.  An everlasting light has dawned in my soul.

As I praise God, he increases my joy.  He has broken the bondage of sin in my life.

The battle is his and he has already won!

For unto me – and you – a child was born,  God gave us his only son.  He came from heaven with all authority and power.

He is our Wonderful Counselor, our Mighty God, Everlasting Father, our Prince of Peace.  There is no end to his greatness.  He does what is right and just – now and forever.

The Lord Almighty has done all of this –

for me.

Thank you, Jesus

You Are A Letter

On By Judy GlasserIn DecemberLeave a comment

You are changed.

I am changed.

When we accept Jesus as our Savior, his spirit comes to live inside of us.

He speaks to us.

He loves us.

He redeems us.

He changes us – when we listen and obey.

Paul writes about this transformation in his second letter to the Corinthians.  He calls them “a letter from Christ…written not with ink but with the Spirit of the Living God, not on tables of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”

You and I are Christ’s letter to our world – not written in ink but communicated by how much we love God and how much we love others.

Faith, Hope and Love…

and the greatest of these is love.

We love you, Abba Father.

 

Sword Fighting Class – For God So Loved the World

On By Judy GlasserIn Sword Fighting ClassLeave a comment

We are just starting the long trek of memorizing Romans 8.  I know God has some special things to reveal to us as we meditate on these words by saying them over and over and over.

‘Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because, through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of Life set me free from the law of sin and death.”

And this week we add the next verse,Romans 8; 1-9

“For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.”

For God so loved the world…..

The law was never going to make us righteous.  It just pointed out how unrighteous we are.  How much we need a Savior.

There is a righteousness and a holiness and a justice part of God that demanded payment for our sins.  But we were never going to be able to pay that debt because of our rebellion and sin.

So God sent Jesus to die for us.

And God adopted us as his children.

For God so loved us.

Thank you, Abba Father.