Jesus – Page 13 – Praying Pint

17.n. “I will pass over you”

John 11:54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples. When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.

Exodus 12:11-14 In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.

The great deliverance from Egypt ended in the Lord’s Passover. “I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. This day shall be a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord.” What is the purpose of Ceremonial Cleansing? For them, it was tied to the Law and purification. Remember the Law pointed out their sin and there were certain legal rites and sacrifices required. The greatness of the Passover, the act of God to free and redeem His chosen from the hands of the Egyptians, was worthy of ceremonial cleansing so that they might worship and glorify God during this special feast of the Passover. ”The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.”

The importance for us is in the blood, the blood of Jesus Christ, that cleanses us from our sin. When we believe in Him and the work He accomplished on the cross for our sin, we are forever forgiven. Ceremonial cleansing was a form of repentance. I know I have sinned. I know I want to honor and glorify God. I want to worship and celebrate my redemption, salvation, forgiveness, and promise of eternal life. I repent, turn away from my old self, and now live each day in remembrance of the great price that was paid for my redemption, the death of Jesus Christ. We should never forget this, for there is a judgment day coming and only those who have confessed their sin, repented, believed, trusted, and relied on Jesus Christ will be passed over. Eternal life awaits those who believed, and eternal torment awaits those who did not.

17.k. “Let no one deceive himself.”

John 11:45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

Proverbs 26:12    Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Isaiah 5:20-23    Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!  Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink,  who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right!

1 Corinthians 1:20   Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

1 Corinthians 3:18-19    Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.  For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,”

The words and works of Jesus divide humanity between those who believe and those who reject. There were some who saw both the power and sympathy of Jesus yet responded by working against Him. Some that had seen even this miracle steeled their hearts against it, and not only so, but conspired the destruction of this glorious Savior!

The religious leaders privately admitted that Jesus performed signs that authenticated His claim to be Messiah and God. As Jesus claimed, His works did bear witness to Him. First, they opposed Jesus because they weren’t convinced He was the Messiah. Now they opposed Jesus because they were convinced that He was the Messiah. They denied and opposed Him. They were afraid of His influence over people and their loss of influence. They knew the logical response to the witness of the signs, wonders, works, and words of Jesus was to believe in Him. “If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him.” The high priest unknowingly prophesied. “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.

The Word of God proclaims the wonders, signs, words, and works of Jesus Christ. And just like during the life of Jesus, people believe and reject and deny the truth of it. Some deny Him within their heart but do not speak of it. They float along in life never giving thought to what they have rejected. They trust in their good works rather than the Savior. At some point, they may have heard the Gospel presented in such a way that their heart was softened and their mind was given a full understanding of the offer of salvation and redemption. Yet they chose to reject that offer. Others deny Him openly and with great disregard of who it is they are rejecting. They spit on the grace, love, and mercy of Jesus Christ. In the end, all who have inwardly and outwardly rejected Jesus Christ will suffer eternally in Hell for this rejection. Now is the time of salvation. If the Gospel of Jesus Christ is offered to you, do not reject it. Surrender to it and cling to it. Your eternal life depends upon it.

17.i. “Whom did you dread and fear, so that you lied, and did not remember me, did not lay it to heart?”

John 11:45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

John 2:23    Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.

John 12:42     Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue;

Matthew 10:32    So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,

Romans 10:10    For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

1 John 4:15    Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

Isaiah 57:11   Whom did you dread and fear, so that you lied, and did not remember me, did not lay it to heart? Have I not held my peace, even for a long time, and you do not fear me?

John 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light

A nearsighted person can see things clearly that are close to them but not things that are far away. The opposite is someone who is farsighted. As Christians, we are told to focus on Jesus Christ. That means both the present and the future. Now (in the present) we see him dimly but we will see Him clearly in the future. Now as we see Him dimly we honor and glorify Him to the best we focus on Him, but in the future, in heaven, we will see Him in all of His glory and our honor and glory to Him will be so much more pure, holy, and complete.

As Christians, we can lose sight of our present focus of Jesus due to many things, primarily though it is due to our love of this world and what it has to offer and our neglect of His Word. Do you want to keep getting clearer and clearer pictures of Jesus Christ now? Stay diligent in His Word. Keep Him in your thoughts as you wake every morning and when you close your eye in the evening and every moment in between. There is so much more than believing in Jesus Christ – LIVE FOR JESUS CHRIST.

17.f. “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”

John 11:38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

It is hard to imagine the emotion of Mary and Martha. For four days they have grieved the loss of their brother. For four days they had been waiting for Jesus. They knew Jesus could have kept Lazarus from dying. They had faith and hope and trust that He could save their brother. He did not come immediately and Lazarus died. Can’t you hear them sending off people to get word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick and dying. They knew Jesus would come. Then He didn’t and Lazarus died. Mary and Martha had to of thought that if Jesus had only come when we sent word to Him, Lazarus would still be alive.

Do you ever wonder at the power of God? What limits are there to His power? There are no limits to His power. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present. When our faith, trust, reliance, and hope are placed in His purpose and His plans we will have peace that passes all understanding and will see this gloriously work in our lives no matter what happens.

17.e. “But if you will not listen, my soul will weep in secret for your pride;”

John 17:32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

Hebrews 4:15   For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Job 30:25    Did not I weep for him whose day was hard? Was not my soul grieved for the needy?

Psalms 119:136     My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law.

Isaiah 53:3   He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief

Jeremiah 13:17     But if you will not listen, my soul will weep in secret for your pride;

Luke 19:41    And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,

The grief and tears of Mary and Martha moved Jesus. God sees the tears of the grief-stricken and is moved with compassion. Jesus sees our tears and is touched by our tears. According to Trench, the sense of was troubled is “‘And troubled Himself.’ The phrase is remarkable: deliberately summoned up in Himself the feelings of indignation at the havoc wrought by the evil one, and of tenderness for the mourners.” It means that Jesus wasn’t so much sad at the scene surrounding the tomb of Lazarus. It’s more accurate to say that Jesus was angry. Jesus was angry and troubled at the destruction and power of the great enemy of humanity: death. Jesus would soon break the dominating power of death. “Jesus had humanity in its perfection, and humanity unadulterated is generous and sympathetic.” (Clarke) “He suffered all the innocent infirmities of our nature.” (Spurgeon)

“Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” Spurgeon put it like this; “these words were not helpful to anyone. Spurgeon noted that all this “what if” talking is vain, of no use. “Perhaps the bitterest griefs that men know come not from facts, but from things which might have been, as they imagine; that is to say, they dig wells of supposition, and drink the brackish waters of regret.” “Suppose that Jesus is willing to open the eyes of the blind, and does open them; is he therefore bound to raise this particular dead man? If he does not see fit to do so, does that prove that he has not the power? If he lets Lazarus die, is it proven therefore that he could not have saved his life? May there not be some other reason? Does Omnipotence always exert its power? Does it ever exert all its power?

17.c. “Even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

John 11:17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

Romans 8:11    If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

2 Corinthians 4:14    knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.

Philippians 3:20-21     But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,  who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

1 Thessalonians 4:14     For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

Revelation 20:10-15    and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.  Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.  And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.  Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.  And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

“Those that believe in Jesus Christ appear to die, but yet they live. They are not in the grave, they are forever with the Lord. They are not unconscious they are with their Lord in Paradise. Death cannot kill a believer, it can only usher him into a freer form of life.” “Death comes to the ungodly man as a penal infliction, but to the righteous as a summons to his Father’s palace: to the sinner it is an execution, to the saint an undressing. Death to the wicked is the King of terrors: death to the saint is the end of terrors, the commencement of glory.” (Spurgeon)

At death, there is rejoicing for those who believe and regret for those who reject and deny Jesus Christ. Scripture is clear and yet so many reject the grace, mercy, and love of Jesus Christ. Denying Jesus Christ has earthly effects, but the most important is it has eternal consequences. We never truly know when death will knock on our door. We can be ready for that knock and rejoice to know our home is in heaven and we will be with Jesus forever more.

16.z. “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

John 10:22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

2 Corinthians 4:3-4   And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Matthew 17:5    He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

Acts 3:23   And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’

1 John 2:19   They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

Revelation 3:20    Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

The religious leaders wanted Jesus to speak plainly, and here He spoke more plainly than they probably wanted. Jesus previously told them they were not true shepherds. Here Jesus told them they were not even true sheep, because the Messiah’s sheep believe and hear His voice. They are not only untrustworthy shepherds of God’s people but are showing that they ought no longer to be classed among the sheep that pay attention to His voice. People have a choice to hear and follow Jesus Christ. It is not that you were not chosen, but rather you rejected being chosen. When there is a knock at your hearts’ door there is a choice. When you hear the knock will you eagerly open it? It is our choice of what and who we open the door of our heart to. Sadly, things of this world are welcomed in and the Word of God, Jesus Christ, salvation, redemption, forgiveness, and eternal life are denied entry. Those that choose this will perish from this life to eternal hell. Those that choose to open the door do so with a desire to know and be known by Jesus Christ. Turn your ears away from the noise of this world that is knocking and shouting at the door to your heart. Reject opening that door to them and listen for the knock and voice of Jesus Christ. If you listen to it, it is knocking right now.

16.w. “For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

John 10:7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Psalms 23:1   The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Isaiah 40:11     He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

Ezekiel 34:12    As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.

Ezekiel 37:24   My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes.

Micah 5:4    And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.

Hebrews 13:20    Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant

1 Peter 2:25   For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1 Peter 5:4    And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

The true Shepherd knows the sheep of His flock. He keeps watch over His sheep. He laid down His life for His Sheep. There is one “Shepherd” and one “Flock”. I am sure we can all agree that the “Shepherd” is Jesus Christ. I think many get confused about who makes up the flock. The flock is made up of those who live and pursue to honor and glorify Jesus Christ, ALL OF THE TIME. There is a false belief that one can live for Jesus on Sundays and the rest of the week live for themself. On Sundays they get all these religious feelings and they think, “I am a Christian and I am pleasing God.” But then Monday comes around and they are interested in other things. They are replacing “Living for God” by pursuing other interests, goals, and worldly important, )not eternally important), stuff. “If you’re going to grow in living a life that is pleasing to God, you must come to the point when you decide, ‘If I don’t accomplish anything else, I am determined that I will live my life for an audience of one. I am going to please God. This is the one thing I am going to do.’” Being a follower of Jesus Christ is not a game that is played on Sunday. It is the essence of eternal life. Why would Jesus use words like, the Word of God is “Living”, “Living Water”, and the “Bread of Life”?

So you have to ask “how does a person please God and what pleases God? Essential to pleasing God is repenting and turning away from sin, seeking forgiveness of Jesus Christ for the sinful life that had been lived, following, trusting in, relying on, and clinging to Jesus Christ, taking care of the widows, orphans, and the poor, giving generously, and surrendering your will to the will of God. All of these “God Pleasing” actions are things you do every living moment of every day to honor and glorify Jesus Christ. To think we can give a head nod toward Jesus on Sundays and think we are pleasing to God is nothing more than a deception and living a lie.

Recount all of the activities of your last week. Were you doing that which is pleasing to God or self? Were you doing it as unto the Lord or self? Did it honor and glorify Jesus Christ or was it done to honor and glorify self? Were you seeking and desiring to do all you could every single moment of every day to please Him? If “Pleasing Him” is not first most in your heart and mind, then something else has taken its place.

Wake up each morning with the Living Word and drink full of the living water and eat of the bread of life seeking to do that which honors and glorifies Jesus Christ throughout the day. This is pleasing to God. At the end of the day think about all of the things God allowed you to experience to honor and glorify Jesus and then give thanks to God for that day. This is pleasing to God. Living to be pleasing to God will not allow one’s self to be neglectful or complacent in studying His Word or for doing that which pleases Him. Jesus Christ is truly worthy of honor and glory every minute of every day.

16.s. “But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.”

John 10:1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

Jeremiah 23:16-17   Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.  They say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’”

Ecclesiastes 11:9     Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

2 Peter 2:1   But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

1 John 4:1    Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

There is but one gate, one way to eternal life and that is through Jesus Christ. All other attempts through any other means will result in Hell. Every day we face numerous gates that offer peace, satisfaction, health, wealth, etc….. There is only one gate that gives us assurance of peace of mind that passes all understanding. It is Jesus Christ alone. Trying to find a path to eternity apart from the gate of Jesus ends in missing the shepherd. There appears to be many preaching right now that try to fill the church with the promises of what this world has to offer rather than preaching what eternal life has to offer. This world is not our home. Things of this world are not our inheritance. Things in this world are not our satisfaction. Things in this world are not our hope. Things of this world do not offer eternal life. In fact, things of this world pull at us, confuse us, and try to entice us this is where we find hope, peace, eternal life, satisfaction, wealth, etc…..

There is one gate, one path, one way to eternal life – Jesus Christ

16.n. Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”

John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

Proverbs 8:22-30    “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.  Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.  When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.  Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth,  before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.  When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,  when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,  when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,  then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,

Colossians 1:17    And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Hebrews 1:10-12     And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands;  they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment,  like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”

Hebrews 13:8    Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Revelation 1:17-18    When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last,  and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

John 17:24    Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

Before Abraham was, I AM: With this dramatic phrase Jesus told them that He was the eternal God, existing not only during the time of Abraham but before unto eternity past. We think of Jesus Christ as our redeemer and savior. We trust in God’s Word that says He sent His Son into the world to redeem the lost and whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life. Do you ever give thought to where He came from? It may give you a greater appreciation for His love for you. Before the beginning and before creation and before heavenily hosts, earth, and living plants and creatures Jesus Christ was. He existed in eternity. He is Holy, Pure, and True. He willingly came to earth, taking on the form of man, healed the sick, blind, deaf, lame, paralyzed, dead, proclaimed the day of salvation, suffered, died, and rose again all for the single purpose – to redeem the lost and give hope to the perishing. Think about the grace, mercy, and love He displayed for you. For certain you did not deserve this gift of eternal life but in and through His power, might, and love He came and bore your sins so that you might have eternal life.

When things around you are falling apart and there seems to be no reason for you to rejoice and give praise to Jesus Christ, remember who it is that gave His life just for you so that all who believe will have eternal life with Him forevermore.