Bible Gazette Network

Its beyond sentiment. Its deeper than soul.
God loves us more than we are.
God’s love for us is Bigger than our very existence!

Christ is direct access to the heart of God.
Christ regenerates us where the world has left us for dead.
Christ makes us clean and new day by day by day.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NAS
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature ; the old things passed away ; behold, new things have come.”

Colossians 3
1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

“Don’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.”
– George S. Patton, US Army General (Best known for his leadership in WWII)

Christ teaches and commands that we are to love God and our neighbor. He does not tell us specifically how to do that though. The commandment is to do it with all of what we are! Early in Peter’s walk with Christ, out of doing what Jesus told him to do, he pushed his boat back out to go fishing late at night, after having fished all day and catching nothing he pushed back out even after all the nets had been cleaned and put away. Peter challenged Jesus on this point and basically they didn’t want to go back out, but would because it was He that asked them to. I cannot say that Peter thought very highly of Christ at this moment. I’m am guessing that inwardly he was wrestling with doing what Christ was asking of him.

Many times following Christ is doing things we already know how to do, but doing them because He is specifically asking us to do a certain thing at a certain time. Many times Christ does not ask us to do hard things, or outrageous things, but asks us to do truly simple things, things that end up changing us on the inside. On the other side of doing a simple thing that God asked of them, something that they already knew how to do, the Bible says, “For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken.”

Lets keep our ears and hearts be open to the simple things God is asking of us, so that we can walk in the Joy of following Him, and so that both God and us can have joy, surprise, and amazement in the results!

Matthew 22:36-40 (nasb)
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law ?” 37 And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’” 38 “This is the great and foremost commandment.” 39 “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’” 40 “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Luke 5:4-9 (nasb)
4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break ; 7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man, O Lord !” 9 For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken ;

Blessings,
Steve

Two of the biggest issues that people deal with in life are Identity and Security. There are many types of Identity. There is national identity, there is cultural identity, there is organizational identity. And, there are many types of Security. There is personal security, there is financial security, there is national security. Where these two issues combine, Identity and Security, is in a larger area of Meaning. What does it mean to be associated with such and such organization or cause? What does it mean to have personal security, or financial security, or national security? The larger issue that we as individuals struggle with is Meaning.

The purest most innocent sense of meaning can be found in a childlike sense of wonder. A sense of Truth has to be established on top of that to continue in purity and innocence. When innocent wonder and purest truth abound, relationships of Love can be established, relationships based on the unconditional kind of Love, that is the purest kind of love. When we have a childlike sense of wonder, based on the Truth, and relationships based on unconditional Love, there is a peace and security that develops within us that cannot be shaken, that cannot be moved, that cannot be destroyed, no matter what.

Mark 10:15 “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”

John 4:23 “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth ; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Romans 8:37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Colossians 1:27 “…God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. 29 For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.”

Blessings,
Steve