JoAnn's Spiritual Lessons

Grace, peace, knowledge and wisdom are they yours? 2 Peter 1:2/3.

2Peter 1:2/3 

"May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence."
NKJV

Knowledge is a powerful thing. With knowledge we have the ability to create buildings, machines and cure diseases. Knowledge helps us understand the universe around us and when put to action, knowledge can produce countless results, both good and bad. Yet, there is a specific knowledge that, when acted upon, brings eternal life. This is the knowledge of the Gospel.

Many scholars throughout history have examined the Bible and can understand the words on the page yet few have actually experienced the life-changing effect of those words. The Gospel is more than just a story; it is the power of God for our salvation. The truth of Jesus' life, death and resurrection can lead us into a relationship with God or can condemn us. It depends on what we do with it. God's powerful, life-changing grace rests on the pages of scripture and calls for us to trust it. When we do, we will truly experience the amazing grace so often sung about. This grace brings peace to the soul and hope for the future. Do you know that grace?

Life Lesson: In order to experience the power of Christ, we must first trust Him.

Dear God,
Thank You for Your offer of grace. Lord forgive me of my sins and make me new. I believe in what Jesus has done on my behalf and trust in His death and resurrection for my salvation. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I will be strengthened to live for You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say, Pastor David McGee Cross the Bridge Ministries My Comments: There are many, many verses in the Old and New Testament telling us how God loves us and that He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Many tell us to trust Him and to have faith (which means it is a choice). Many say He is the God of hope. The Old and New Testaments tell of the coming of the Lord and the signs of times. The Lord gives knowledge and wisdom for us to understand the Words of our Father if we just ask and trust in Him. Though the Gospel of Jesus Christ is spelled out more easily in the New Testament, once you know how God writes one is able to understand how it is talked about in the Old Testament as well. What an awesome God we serve. What a wonderful Father we have who has adopted us through His Son Jesus dieing on the cross and our accepting the Sacrifice of Jesus. We have to do so little; just accept, believe, have faith and follow.  We do not have to "DO" anything. Saying so many prayers before we die, kneeling when we pray, looking sad all the time, working with the poor, paying money to help people, goinjg to a priest or rabbi nothing we can do will get us into heaven. The only thing He wants us to do is to turn to Him, and accept the free gift of Salvation. Then doing other things afterwards just show we are His. When we serve or forgive or evangelize or any other thing one can come up with to "DO" after we are His (Baptizm does not save one only accepting His gift does; Baptizm is the outward expression of an inward change that we want to share with the world and especially the rest of the "Body"). For instance I write this blog because the Lord impressed on me and confirmed through a friend saying I should write a blog. This is a do yet if I were not already saved it would not be counted for me to save me. Good works never saved anyone. Salvation comes from the unmerited gift of God through His precious Son Jesus dieing on the Cross. This is  redemption. We are redeemed by the blood of Jesus. But only those who accept this will be in Heaven one day with the Lord. It is a gift that is offered to all yet not all will accept. I thought for most of my life that if I died I would be in Heaven with God. I did not know the true Gospel of Jesus. I thought because I was baptized at 40 days old that I was going to Heaven. Just before 911 I was praying in my bedroom and watching tv when the Lord showed me I would not go to Heaven unless I accepted the free gift of Salvation. I did. Now I am saved, Born Again as Jesus says in the Bible. A few years ago my hubby and I felt the call to be Baptized with the rest of the believers and that was a glorious day!! God will speak to you if you have ears to hear. He will show you His truth if you have eyes to see and He will soften your heart for His word if you so desire. Read His Word, devour it and pray on what you read. Ask the Holy Spirit of God to teach, guide and fill you with the Knowledge of God and His understanding. Check things out for yourself or as it says "taste and see that the Lord is good." Abba we lift all to You who are searching Your Word, who are seeking Your truth, who desire to be one with You, who thirst for Your knowledge and understanding that they may be filled with a hunger for your Word and knowledge of what Your Word is and says, that they will seek and find Your grace, peace, and perfect wisdom, Touch their hearts Father and heal their anger, lack of trust, and help them to find forgiveness in You when they seek and find You. Thank You Lord for the Salvation You have obtained through You blood and may we be partakers of Your body and blood and we join You in the cross. Open our mouths with Your truths and give us Your love for others and especiallly those You have placed us with in our lives. Forgive us Father as we forgive others and keep us as the apple of Your eye. In Jesus' precious and Holy Name.. Amen Rebishka