God grows the church

It is completely a work of God from beginning to end.

Keeping it simple

John 16:33 NLT

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

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Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.
{- Man in Black (Wesley) from the Princess Bride}

The thing I like most about Jesus and the Bible is the it is so realistic. It tells the truth, 'warts and all'.
Jesus isn't selling something. In fact he's giving it away. But he's not glossing over the facts.

-'Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.'

There it is plain and simple. The bare truth with no caveats delivered to people had not even begun to see the worst of it.

But neither had they remotely seen the best of it. That was also yet to come. See I can believe Jesus when he says he has overcome the world at least in part because what he says about the world is true. Here on earth you do have sorrow!

That's not all though. Jesus has healed people, fed people, made lame walk, blind see, deaf hear, and raised people from the dead. Then there are all the prophecies he's fulfilled some very clear and ancient and he's ticked nearly every box. Lastly, he said it. So either he's crazy, a liar or he's telling the truth. And since it looks like he's been telling the truth I've got good reason to believe that he has overcome the world.

Jesus means that as an encouragement. Yep, you'll face sorrows. Some may threaten to undo you, uproot your sanity, and sink you into despair but Jesus has overcome the world. When it gets on top of you, just remember Jesus is on top of the world. He's in charge and large! Jesus can handle your pain. Jesus wants you to know that in the world to come, there'll be no more sorrow.

How does that make you feel?

Hope anyone?

Matthew 12:21, 23 NLT

And his name will be the hope of all the world.”

The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?”

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We have a global faith. We have a long held promise faith. We have an amazing faith.  We have a hopeful faith.

People need hope. Jesus is what they are hoping for.  Justice comes from Jesus so Jesus gives us hope. Jesus will rescue.

As a follower of Jesus are you full of hope? Are you living in anticipation of God’s great hope giving rule?

Believe and trust God.

God promised to David an eternal ruler. And so only Jesus the Son of God, with no beginning nor end could fulfil this promise.

I ask my heart, do I believe Jesus is the hope of the world? Do I believe he is in control? Do I trust he is able to make things right? Do I trust him with my life? Do I hold him out as the fulfilment of the world's hope?
When I see the evil in the world, do I rest in the knowledge that Jesus is the hope of the world?

Am I confident Jesus is the answer to the problem of injustice? Do I trust Jesus to right the wrongs of oppression, poverty, war, and disease?

On a personal note, do I believe Jesus is the hope of my family? Can he save my children? Will he heal our sicknesses? Will be change our hearts to be full of hope?

Do you believe Jesus is the hope of the world? If not why not? What or who do you think is? Is there any hope? What will save the world?

I believe Jesus is the hope of the world.

Do you know what you are?

Matthew 9:13 NLT

Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

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I don't need any convincing. I know I'm a sinner. Do you?

Most people think they are righteous, but they'd be mistaken. I'm not a good man. You are not a good person. You would not achieve betterment of you had more education. No one would develop a greater love for God or a higher moral calibre if they were put in a better environment. Our problem isn't or parents or our income. We wouldn't become more saintly if we deny ourselves more by emptying our mind of desire. We can not give ourselves into the black and out of the red.

We are sinners. We love to sin. We hate to be told what to do. We want our own way. We do not want God ruling our hearts. We think we know best. We think that given the right circumstances we'll improve. We're not too bad actually, is a falsehood we cling to.

Oh and we want to be worshiped. We want to be noticed, thought of as wise, clever, beautiful, strong, good, or desirable.

We want to be God!

We are not God.

We, you and I are sinners.

We hate. We kill. We lust. We're selfish. We're lazy. We're proud. We're insatiable. We're greedy. I'm self obsessed. I want to be heard. God is the word of life. I want to be clever and thought of as clever. God knows everything. I know very little and much of what I claim to know is a lie.

Do you know what you are? Or do you deceive yourself?

You and I are sinners.

You can't not be a Christian if you don't know you are a sinner. You can not follow Jesus of you maintain your pride. You can not be saved of you continue to believe a lie.

Do you know what you are?

When you read the Bible or you hear the word of God it should strike a chord. The truth should be refreshing because if you agree with God, then you are free.
No more lies.

Read the Bible and you will see the truth you've tried so hard to hide. Tired of trying to be something you know in your heart of hearts you're never going to be left to your own devices?

The Bible says you are an enemy of God.

God loves his enemies.

The Bible says you are a moral failure because you care only for yourself.

Jesus becomes our righteousness.

The Bible says we are liars just like the Father of lies, Satan.

But we can be made new and have a new Father and be in the family of Jesus, who is truth personified.

Do you know who you are?

Do you know who God wants to make you?

Has the Lord opened your heart?

Acts 16:11-15 NLT

We boarded a boat at Troas and sailed straight across to the island of Samothrace, and the next day we landed at Neapolis. From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days. On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. She was baptized along with other members of her household, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed.

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The book of Acts is full of stories of how God changes lives. We can be confident that God is at work in the hearts of people he is preparing to hear the good news about Jesus. Paul was going about his business looking for people who might listen to the gospel. So Paul went where people might be praying.
Lydia wondered about God. She worshiped God but did not know about Jesus. Praying and worshiping were a good start but without Jesus it wasn't enough. God rewarded her seeking with the truth. God sent Paul.

There's a lot to be learned from this story.  Firstly, this is God's work. He opens hearts. Secondly, I think we'll find people ready for the gospel if we look for those already seeking. Third, seeking is good, worshiping God is good, but God intends for people to hear about Jesus. God wants people to accept the good news about Jesus. Third, Lydia not only accepted this good news but she acted on it. Lydia was baptized.  God opened her heart, so she opened her home. She brought the gospel and the messengers into her home and business and those she had influence over also believed.

The whole reproductive nature of the good news is seen here from God sending the messenger, to God opening her heart,  to completely identifying herself in baptism, to Lydia opening her home and seeing others believe too.

Please be encouraged.