Category: Thoughts and Meditations

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” – 2 Corinthians 8:9

What a wonderful truth to contemplate! Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, stepped out of the unending perfection of Heaven and into this world because of His love for us and for the Father. For your sake, the Son personally came to know things like heat, thirst, hunger, cold, and fatigue. He set aside the glory He’d enjoyed forever to be born in Bethlehem and laid to rest in an animal’s food trough. Instead of the unending praise of the angels, Jesus experienced rejection, humiliation, hatred, betrayal, suffering, and death.

That’s what Paul means when he writes about Jesus becoming poor for your sake. He really did! Jesus gave up so much so He could take your place on the cross. So He could take God’s righteous wrath for your sins on Himself. So that by His sinless life, sacrificial death, and physical resurrection He could defeat sin, death, and the devil for you and everyone who believes in Him. If Jesus is your Lord, then you are currently enjoying the exalted status of a royal child, heir, and ambassador. You are a friend of the Lord with an eternal inheritance in Heaven. You have enormous spiritual riches and it’s all because Jesus set aside His infinite riches.

That’s the love of God. The love of the Father. The love of the Son. The love of the Holy Spirit. That’s what it means when John writes, “For God so loved the world…” That’s what it means when Paul writes, “God shows His love for us…”. This love is profound. Meditate on it today. Praise Jesus for what He endured to rescue you from your sins and raise you to Heaven! #FollowJesus

“But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus” – 2 Corinthians 7:6

What a beautiful expression of the profound comfort God often provides through other people! Of course, God comforts us directly through His love and presence. He also equips His people to comfort one another. If you’ve ever felt the comfort of another brother or sister in Christ coming to visit, encourage, refresh, or pray for you, take time right now to thank God for that. Delight in that memory and what it says both about that person and about your Lord.

Now, turn things around. Regardless of how easy or difficult your personal situation may currently be, who might you be able to comfort? Who’s going through a tough or lonely patch of life? Who do you know that would love it if you called, visited, dropped off a meal, or prayed with them? Make a point of reaching out to be God’s comforter to someone else today. #FollowJesus

“And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Lord God.” – Ezekiel 20:44

After a very long recitation of Israel’s idolatry, rebellion, and sin across centuries, God makes this wonderful promise…. He won’t deal with them as they deserve. He won’t deal with them the way they deal with Him. Instead, He will deal with them with amazing grace. They’d constantly broken the covenant. They’d constantly rebelled. But rather than destroy them as per the terms of the covenant, God would be gracious toward them. He would be merciful.

Why? Because that’s His fundamental name and nature. Hundreds of years earlier, God had revealed Himself to Moses to be fundamentally merciful, gracious, patient, loving, and faithful. He repeatedly affirmed this across the centuries. It is God’s nature and glory to be merciful and gracious toward people who deserve only righteous wrath and just punishment. This hasn’t changed. It can’t change. It is God’s nature.

Remember this – because it’s also God’s approach toward you. Even after you mess up, fail, embarrass yourself, sin, or fall short yet again. God won’t deal with you in the petty, sinful, or shameful way you’ve dealt with Him. Through faith in Jesus Christ, God will deal with you in grace and mercy. With patience, love, and faithfulness. Don’t hide from Him, run to Him! Confess your failures and ask His forgiveness in the name of Jesus. Take your weaknesses, hurts, and broken places to Him for strengthening and healing. It is God’s delight and glory to pour out amazing grace on you today. That isn’t merely to bless you. It is for His glory and the sake of His name and reputation, so that others will come to know the He is God. #FollowJesus

“When iniquities prevail against me,
you atone for our transgressions.
Blessed is the one you choose and bring near,
to dwell in your courts!
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
the holiness of your temple!”
– Psalm 65:3-4

This is the gracious invitation of God through faith in Jesus Christ! When you stumble and fall into sin, Jesus has already atoned for that sin through His perfect, sinless life, sacrificial death on the cross, and resurrection from the dead. When you once again fall short of God’s command and expectation, don’t beat yourself up about it endlessly. Don’t try to atone for it yourself. Take it to God in confession and repentance, trusting in the finished work of Jesus on the cross.

Your sins have been paid for and God will freely forgive you (1 John 1:9). After that, rejoice in the grace and presence of the Lord! Through faith in Christ, God has chosen you and brought you near to Him. His Spirit lives in you and you live in His presence. Don’t dwell in guilt or shame. Dwell in God’s love and grace. Your Father in Heaven loves you!

Fill yourself with God’s presence rather than the things of the world. Find your identity and essence as God’s precious child rather than identifying yourself by your possessions, accomplishments, or sins. Realize that lasting joy and satisfaction are freely available in the Lord. Be satisfied in His goodness. Rejoice in the holiness of His Temple – which is YOU because the Holy Spirit lives in you. #FollowJesus and be truly blessed!

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” – 2 Corinthians 4:17

This is the wonderful truth that describes every life devoted to serving the Lord Jesus Christ! Yes, there may be hardship here on earth… Paul certainly knew what he was talking about in this regard, enduring beatings, whippings, stoning, shipwrecks, deprivation, and unjust imprisonments for Jesus. There may be suffering for your faith. There may be persecution. There may be illness, weakness, injustice, and poverty. But if you’re following Jesus, then the difficulties of this earthly life are merely a blink of the eye compared to the glories awaiting you in Heaven. Glories that will never end.

Earthly life may last for 50, 70, or 100 years, but eternity lasts forever. After you’ve been there for millions of years, you still have forever in your future! Your faithful service to Jesus Christ here on earth will be blessed forever. Every sacrifice you make to bless others in the name of Jesus will be rewarded. The way you represent Jesus well to everyone you encountered will be celebrated for millions and millions of years. As you bask in the glory of the presence of Jesus, you’ll know that every painful step you took here on earth has somehow made that glory even more satisfying.

Don’t lose heart. Don’t lose focus. Don’t grow weary of doing good in this dark and broken world. Love the Lord. Love your neighbor. Share the Gospel. Make disciples. #FollowJesus