SN 2022 May 28: Saving my life – by losing it!! …by following Jesus!! Sacrifice & Love. The Gate of the Lord. Fear of the Lord.

SN 28 May 2022

Last week explored on how entering heaven is a process

… that involves striving (action, but of faith)

… about finding the narrow gate

… then entering through it

… and persevering through the difficult way that leads to life

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  – It is not only about saying, but doing as well, particularly doing the will of the Father.

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– It is about seeking and going through the straight and narrow

… but all the while ensuring that we don’t fall from grace

… by doing works of the flesh

… but rather laboring to enter into the ‘Rest of God ‘

… through actions that are done in pleasing faith.

We touched on the various crowns that await those who succeed in their walk…

… Crowns > Rejoicing for an Imperishable & Glorious crown(s) from a Righteously lived Life!!

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Examples are 

– Noah & Abraham

– Where both strove, against all hope, to do the will of the Father

… and in the process demonstrating pleasing faith to God

… and it being accounted as righteousness.

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SN 2022 May 21: Act(ion) of Faith. Works in Grace?? The Rest of God. Crowns. The Narrow Gate. Falling from grace!

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Today we briefly look at what Jesus said are the requirements to follow Him…

… to be a disciple ( a disciplined follower)

Welcome all & be blessed by today’s Manna 4 Thought…

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Luke 9:23‭-‬24‭, ‬35 NKJV

– Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him

>> Deny himself

>> and take up his cross daily

>> and follow Me.

–  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 

– And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”

– .. A disciple is a disciplined follower of the master!!

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Or the Amplified Version

Luke 9:23‭-‬24‭, ‬35 AMP

And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross daily [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. 

– For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake, he is the one who will save it [from the consequences of sin and separation from God].

– Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, My Chosen One; listen and obey and yield to Him!”

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One of the things that is coming out in the SN series of the past few weeks…

… with all the discipline , trials and tests

… is the notion of total surrender ( sacrifice).

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… Am I able to fully surrender to God?

… Give up all for God & trust Him fully?

… and therefore please God with my faith

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The essence of love is surrender (sacrifice)…

… where I am willing to give up my own way for the one I love

… For God, who is love, also gave us His dearly beloved Son… 1 John 4:16; John 3:16

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>>  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends…John 15:13

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>>  But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us…Romans 5:8

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>>  By this we know what love is : Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers… 1 John 3:16

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My total surrender (sacrifice) to God

>> Seeking the will of God first and foremost in all things

… which is essentially that I make Him ruler (Lord) over all aspects of my life

… to do what He wants whenever He pleases…

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… – Giving up my own way – denying self

… – Taking up my cross daily – dying to self

… – Following Jesus faithfully to the end

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>> Denying self

… basically involves dying to self, sin & the world around

… loving not life to the death… Revelations 12:11

… and being birthed and growing in a life of righteousness 

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All the while 

… Fighting the good fight

… Finishing the race

… Keeping the faith to the end

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Striving to find and enter through the narrow gate…

… persevering through the difficult path

… with the Good Shepherd as my shepherd … John 10:11; Psalm 23

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Losing life in order to save life !?!

… Jesus ‘lost’ ( gave up, sacrificed) His life

… in order to save mine!!

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For me also to save my life ..

… I need to give it up (sacrifice it) …but to Jesus Christ

… The only WAY to the TRUTH of LIFE

… or, the only Way to the Truth about Life

… into the presence of the Father

… now and into eternity 

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>> Is that how I accept the free gift of salvation??

… my act(ion) of faith?

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Essentially 

… I have to give up the ways of the world and the flesh

… and focus on the spirit 

>> For  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth… John 4:24

>> Spirit and flesh are contrary and opposed to one another… Galatians 5:17

>> … with no good thing found in my flesh… Romans 7:18

>> … without Jesus I cannot do any (good) thing… John 15:5

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But I am the righteousness of God in Christ … 2 Corinthians 5:21

>> My Righteousness – Jehovah Tsidkenu

>> My Holiness – Jehovah Makadesh

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He puts on me the 

>> The Garments of Salvation & the 

Robe of Righteousness … Isaiah 61:10

He opens to me the Gate of the Lord

>> the Gate of Righteousness that I may enter and give thanks to the Lord … Psalm 118:19-20  

He leads me in paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake…Psalm 23:3

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Indeed,

I can only be Righteous …

… because of Christ

… when in Christ

>> with all our (attempts at our own) righteousness as filthy rags… Isaiah 64:6

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Honor (love) is basically shown by obedience & service…

… despite the circumstances

… withstanding (resisting) evil & persevering through the test of faithfulness

..  while walking in the ways of the Lord.

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Some aspects entail…

… Walking in the Fear of the Lord

… fearing to offend God in any way

… fear of letting Him down (disappointing Him) in any situation (e.g. Joseph)

… walking in obedience and in diligent & faithful service >> Fear of the Lord??

… indeed, walking in total & unconditional love, for God??

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All the while the joy of the Lord strengthening me

… where, all because God, first and foremost, will be happy with me

… I am strengthened and encourage to go on faithfully, despite the circumstances

… Therefore the joy of the Lord being my strength… Nehemiah 8:10

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All in all

…Like for Jesus, I would like to also hear God say to me…

… This is my son…listen to him

… That I am indeed considered worthy to ably represent Him and His business

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Prayer

Indeed

Today when I hear His voice, 

… may my heart not be hardened

 … but be good and fertile ground

 … for His word to take root, grow and bear fruit 

… all for His kingdom and glory 

For this is the day & now is the time for my salvation 

… From the God of my salvation 

… My Saviour, Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob 

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Salvation works best with total submission (Lordship)

… May I surrender ( sacrifice, give up) all … 

…  and exchange it for all His good

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An Amazing, Divine Exchange 

… The Cross of Christ

… Where I get all His good in exchange for all my bad!!

What Amazing Love!

What Amazing Mercy!

What Amazing Grace!

Thank You Lord God Almighty!

Hallelujah!

AMEN!