PSALM NUGGET, OT LESSON, NT LESSON

PSALM NUGGET:

"Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart all you who hope in the Lord."  (Psalm 31:24)

OT LESSON:

"I will restore their fortunes, both the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters, and I will restore your own fortunes in their midst."  (Ezekiel 16:53, ESV)

NT LESSON:

"No one has seen God at any time; God the Only Son, Who is in the chest of the Father, He has explained Him."  (John 1:18, NASB)

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

WHY I "MAKE" SO MUCH OF JESUS

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart triumphs, and with my song I shall thank Him."  (Psalm 28:7, NASB)

Our King and Savior Jesus Christ is, "The Lord...my strength and my shield."  And I say with great thanksgiving that, "....my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped."

Why do I make so much of Jesus?  Jesus is the only One of the Blessed Trinity Who man has ever seen, and it is for this reason that Jesus has always been the problem with the unbeliever.  Jesus is, "God with us."  And, Jesus tells us, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father."  Mankind did/does not like that.  They want an invisible god, one of which they can make anything they wish, one who basically stays out of their lives and only gets involved when they think they need him/it.  

Not so the Godhead.  Jesus tells us the Way of the Living Triune God for humanity: "I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."  This reveals a moment by moment, "abide in Me," Eternal relationship.  This is not what the world wants.  This is all I want.

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You do much for revealing Yourself in Jesus.  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"BE EXALTED...IN YOUR OWN STRENGTH!"

"Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength!  We will sing and praise Your power."  (Psalm 21:13)

This is the greatest way Jesus can, "Be exalted," viz., in Your own strength."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I can say, "I exalted Thee," but You alone can do it best.  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2