Rise and Shine NaNos!
Today is the Lord's day!...just like EVERY day is His.
Some thoughts for you today!
Colossians 1:15-23
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
And he is the head of the body, the church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister."
The "He" the verses are speaking of, is Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God (Luke 1:35; John 1:18, 3:16,18; Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:6, 5:5; I John 4:9) is the Creator of all the universe, that is everything everywhere. But He did not simply create it, He commands it all, and it is all FOR Him.
He holds all the cosmos together, and it testifies of His mighty work.
You see, He is God, and He takes first place in everything, from existing, living, and resurrecting from the dead, He is first, and we follow His example, but Jesus Christ is the King. Christ is head of the Church, not a pope. Jesus is the Head.
He was 100% human, and 100% God. He was tempted in every way you and I are tempted, but where we fall and sin, He remained pure and holy and blameless. Because of this, Jesus was the perfect sacrifice to satisfy the wrath of God against our sin.
Our sins held us apart from God, utterly. We were as dead men, and dead men tell no tales. A rotting body can not ask for mercy or plead a case against holiness. But Jesus came and lived a perfect life, and died and took our sin upon Himself, submitted to the crushing wrath of God, and Love as powerful as death, overcame the grave! Jesus could not be held by death, it had no sting any longer. He satisfied God's wrath once and for ALL eternity. He paid our debt in full.
Now, He did this before I was born, and when I was born, I didn't know Him. I was alive in the flesh but spiritually dead. I couldn't help but walk in my own evilness, and continual sin against Him.
But this is the GOOD NEWS, this is the Gospel, that it's about God, it's about Jesus, it's about the Cross, it's about His Grace, not me.
He delivered me and redeemed me and justified me and sanctifies me because it gives HIM glory. His blood covers me, so that I will be blameless in the sight of God. But it wasn't me who did it, it was Christ! He did it! He dresses me in His righteousness and purity and lavishes His love on me.
The Good News is about what Christ did for His own glory, that God might be both the Just and the Justifier.
He is mighty to save!
(pst, NaNo, go save you work, back it up in a few places, so that you don't lose it!)
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