#1 You Are Loved

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

The “world” that is spoken of here is the world of all of mankind…unbelievers, those who do not know God and are against God. That would be everyone. We are all unbelievers and against God until He seeks us and opens our spiritual eyes to Salvation.

God does not want anyone to perish, but to come to belief in Jesus so they can have eternal life. He loved all of us long before we loved Him. While we were neck deep in our own sin, muck and prideful living.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (NIV)

While you were still a sinner God demonstrate His love for you by giving His Son Jesus to die for you. His ONLY SON.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13 (NIV) These are words straight from Jesus. He gave His life for you while you were still a sinner. Is there any greater love than for someone to give their life for you?

Who would you give your life for? I would dare to guess you would give your life for your children, grandchildren or another loved one, but how about an enemy?

No? Me either… I am not sure I would give my life for an enemy. BUT Jesus did!

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved.” Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV

What does it mean to be dead in our transgressions?

Transgressions are sins, the wrong things we do against God and His laws. We were dead” in our sins.  Look at Romans 6:23.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 6:23

The first section of this verse begins by saying believers “were dead” in their sins. These immoral actions were part of their life, following the lead of Satan, instead of God. The wages or pay that we get from sin is death. Why death?

This spiritual death began as the result of sin in the garden of Eden.

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:17 (NKJV).

I don’t want to earn death!

Wait! Look at the second part of Romans 6:23, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Because Jesus, God’s only Son, took your place and my place on the cross and died for all the wrong things we have done and will ever do…we have the FREE GIFT of ETERNAL LIFE!

When we choose to believe in Jesus as our Savior, God makes a covenant with us. Because you and I are loved by our Creator.

“Though the mountains be shaken, and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor My covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you”. Isaiah 54:10 NIV

God’s unfailing love will not be shaken. Can you imagine a world where the mountains and the hills are shaken and not just moved but removed from the earth?! Yet all the while, God remains steadfast.

I wondered, what is a covenant? It is not a word we hear too often. Covenants are not just contracts, and a very serious commitment to God. With God it is a binding promise of far-reaching importance in the relations between Him and His children.

In Isaiah 54:10, we see the covenant of God’s peace will not be removed from us. The Hebrew word Shalom means peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, and tranquility. Philippians 4:7 says, “and the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” When troubles on earth make us anxious, seem to overwhelm us and make us want to give up, we can ask Jesus to give us His peace… a peace that is far beyond any earthly comfort.

Also, God’s unfailing love will not be shaken.  No matter what is happening in this world around us (and it is pretty shaky right now) or what is happening within our lives, God’s love will not fail or be shaken. He loves us. He has our best interest at heart always.

If that is not enough, God keeps adding! God will continue to have compassion and mercy on us. Mercy is God’s withholding of the judgement we deserve for our sin, but instead He grants us the forgiveness we don’t deserve and we could never earn (We are saved by grace, Ephesians 2:5) because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross.

What an Awesome God! What a Wonderful Creator! What a Wonderful Savior! We will talk more about grace and becoming a new creation next time. Until then, may God bless you as you seek Him.

Find me on YouTube.com Tami Bemis Cole

Grafted In

 Grafted in. What does grafted mean?

Weeping Cherry Blossoms

Thefreedictionary.com defines grafted as this:

To unite (a shoot or bud) with a growing  plant by insertion or by placing in close contact. To join (a plant or plants) by such union. To join or unite closely: graft new customs onto old.

I have a weeping cherry tree in my back yard. It is so beautiful. The branches heavy with sweet scented blossoms cascades with “arms” stretched down toward the ground in sweeping pink beauty! A pollinators dream plant.

Did you know that weeping cherry is a grafted tree and how it is grafted? I did not know to the extent what this tree has gone through to became what it is…

Beautiful in full bloom

It is actually a tree made up of two (or sometimes 3) completely different parts. The weeping (top) part of the tree is ‘grafted’ to the trunk of a standard upright cherry. “Grafting is a horticultural technique used to join parts from two or more plants usually of the same species (or a relative that is compatible) so that they appear to grow as a single plant.” The upper part (or the scion) of one plant grows on the root stock (or root system) of another plant. Weeping cherries are propagated this way to take advantage of the weeping branch shape at the top and the root strength of a cherry variety with hearty root stock. Weeping cherries are most commonly grafted 5 feet above the ground where the trunk of the base tree is sawed off and the weeping branches are attached into intentionally created cracks in the trunk. The cracks are covered with grafting compound. They are all fed from the one “main root” source

Grafted in

To keep the “weeping” habit of the tree, after the graft heals, any branches that grow straight up out of the base need to be trimmed off.

Some grafted weeping cherry trees are called a “reverted” weeping cherry. The upright growth is the host tree of the base growing through the graft of the weeping upper branches. The original tree is trying to revert back to its “usual” habit of growing upright instead of the weeping habit that is desired

Grafted in. What does that mean as a believer in Jesus? For myself and many others, as a Gentile or as a person of non Jewish descent, I could have no part in Salvation through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross…however, similar to the grafting process of the weeping cherry, I have been “grafted” in.

How, you might ask? Because I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, now I am part of God’s ‘chosen” people and His family.

Romans 11:17-20 (ESV) tells us, “But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear.”

God has given us the opportunity to be part of His chosen people. We have ALL the benefits, provision, guidance, and protection as the Israelite’s. This is Not something to brag about, but something to be thankful for. Our strength and life comes from the “Root” source, Jesus Christ. I am humbled to be part of God’s chosen family, to be called His child. How about you? Are you part of this “Root” system?

All you have to do is believe in Jesus and His redemptive work on the cross for your sin. (John 3:16). That is what I did and I am “grafted in” and part of God’s family! I am thankful.

Find me on YouTube.com Tami Bemis Cole

Your Love Letter

Have you ever gotten a love letter? When someone took the time to tell you how much you mean to them. Do you remember how excited you were you to read the words from someone who loves you!

I was out walking with a friend today and I looked along the path and saw this rock shaped like a heart. I call it a wink from God to remind me how much He loves me! He loves you too!

Maybe you know this, or it may come as a surprise…But you and I…we have a love letter that was written to each of us. It is called the Bible, or God’s Word.

Right from the very beginning as recorded in Genesis 1, God talks about all He created, including us. In Genesis 1, after each day of creation, God looks at His work and He says it is good. Look closer on day 6, (Genesis 1:31). After God has created you and I in His own image—He says, “it is very good.” When He created us, He tells us that in His job of creating us—we are very good. Notice what He does NOT say, He doesn’t say  “kind of okay” or “maybe I should have done this or that”, not “oops.” NO, He says His creation is very good!

His love letter is full of instruction and guidance. This love letter is like no other. It is a letter written to a daughter or son by your Father. Your Heavenly Father. A perfect Father, with perfect love for us. No human knows the depth of us, only God knows all.

“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works. And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You. When I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.” Psalm 139:13-18 (NKJV)

Wow, the Creator of the heavens and earth thinks about you and me. His thoughts about us are so many they cannot be counted. We are wonderfully made. We are not an accident or a mistake. We are alive at the precise moment and place that our Creator has willed. You are on earth at exactly the right time, created with the exact features, personality and skill set that He designed. We are His workmanship.

In Ephesians 2:10 of the New Living Translation (NLT), we are called “God’s masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand.”

No accidents, everything we are and even what good works we do is prepared by God beforehand.

“But the very hairs on your head are all numbered.” Matthew 10:30 (NKJV)

Again, I say, WOW! I am in awe of how close He is connected to us.
There are many more things that God longs to tell you if you open your love letter.
I have a favorite anchor verse that I would like to share with you, John 3:16. See how much you are valued.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (NKJV)

 

In His love letter to you, God tells you what it cost, what He gave to show how important you are, how loved you are, how valued you are. He gave His Son Jesus to die for you. Sounds like that might be the end of the story…Nope!

On Easter morning…Jesus rose from the dead! Overcoming death, darkness and the grave to set us free!!

During times in your life when you are feeling overwhelmed, overlooked, under appreciated or unloved, or if someone is telling you that you have no value…open God’s love letter. If you want to have a relationship with the Creator of all, with your Father, open your love letter. If you are unfamiliar with the Bible, may I suggest you read in the book of John. He loves you so much!

Until next time, my friend, may you be blessed!

Fear is a Liar

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

I love the song by Zack Williams called, “Fear is a Liar.” It is about all the lies that the enemy tells us to try and break our spirit, to make us get off track in our walk with the LORD and to eventually cause us to give up. If Fear is talking louder than the TRUTH, read on and … look it up this song on YouTube. It is a really good song. Some of the lyrics are as follows in quotes Lyrics from Fear Is a Liar by Zack Williams

“When he told you you’re not good enough
When he told you you’re not right
When he told you you’re not strong enough
To put up a good fight
When he told you you’re not worthy
When he told you you’re not loved
When he told you you’re not beautiful
That you’ll never be enough”

Fear tells us we can’t do it. It stops us in out steps. Fear tells us we have messed up too many times. LIES! LIAR! LIES! Fear is a liar!

God says He did not give us a spirit of fear. Fear is the absence of peace. Fear wears us down. Fear makes us believe things that are not true about ourselves. Fear tries to belittle & hide the TRUTH of GOD. Where does fear & doubt come from? It comes from the enemy of God’s children, from the evil one, the devil, Satan.

In John 8:44, Jesus said this about Satan, “…He (Satan) was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in truth, because there is no truth in him. When he (Satan) speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

Why do we so easily fall for the same old tricks, the same old lies? The lies the powers of darkness puts in our minds discourages us, and if we continue to listen, it can ruin our soul. How can we stop the voices that tell us awful things?

As a child of GOD, you can choose to listen to your Heavenly Father. Listen to GOD. Look into the love letter He gave us..His Word, the Bible.

How about if we answer each line with what GOD says!

“When he told you you’re not good enough” What a LIE! We are created in GOD’S Image. (Genesis 1:21 & 1:31)
“When he told you you’re not right” Don’t you believe it! Our wrongs are forgiven! We are made righteous in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21)
“When he told you you’re not strong enough
To put up a good fight” It is a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:12) Our strength comes from the LORD (Psalm 46:1, Psalm 22:19, Psalm 28:7-8, Isaiah 12:2 & many more!) and the battle is His (1 Samuel 14:47)
“When he told you you’re not worthy” Jesus died for you & me while we were against GOD (Romans 5:8)
When he told you you’re not loved GOD loves us so much He sent Jesus to die in our place (John 3:16)
“When he told you you’re not beautiful” GOD says we are beautiful (Song of Solomon 4:7)
“That you’ll never be enough” We are GOD’S Masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10)

Call fear what it is…A LIAR.

Believe

Can we Believe what we cannot see…

Believe…what does that really mean? Are we operating solely on faith when we believe someone?

 

 

 

 

be·lieve

1.  To accept as true or real                                                                                                               2. To credit with veracity                                                                                                                   3. To have firm faith, especially religious faith.                                                                       4. To have faith, confidence, or trust                                                                                         5. To have confidence in the truth or value of something                                               6. To have an opinion; think

believe (one’s) ears—To trust what one has heard.
believe (one’s) eyes—To trust what one has seen.
reference:  http://www.thefreedictionary.com/believe

What about if we cannot see?

Many times, when we believe…we cannot necessarily see what it is we believe…like oxygen…we breathe it in, we have faith that the oxygen is there to fill our lungs.

What about faith in GOD?  Can we believe by reading ?   We have not yet seen God face to face but we believe His Word. We believe the word of others who HAVE SEEN.  We believe GOD HIMSELF breathed His inspiration into men to write His Word.  So if we believe His Word…IT MEANS We believe He LOVES us., CARES for us, calls us PRECIOUS, has a GOOD PLAN for us. YES!

The New Testament urges us throughout to believe in Jesus Christ. The well-known scripture John:3:16 explains that God loved the world and gave His Son so “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Believing in Jesus is THE KEY FACTOR.

I believe GOD’s WORD FULLY.  I believe we ALL have a PURPOSE here.  We are here to uplift each other, to let our light shine.  I believe YOU MATTER.  YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE! I believe you are reading this because God has a MESSAGE for YOU.

Don’t lose heart…BELIEVE.

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