Jacobs Thoughts and Doings

For in him you have been enriched in every way.

I Corinthians 1:5

In Jesus the Corinthians received one blessing after the other.  Paul assures them that they have been enriched in every way. 

All believers in Jesus have the same access to all there is in Him.  This was written two thousand years ago but it still stands as almost unbelievable truth.  We believe because the Spirit of God enables us to do so.

As I look back over my life in Christ this is as true here in Lancaster as every culture in this great wide world.  All cultures! I have seen it at work in myself and in many people in our wide, wide world.  Oh, the mystery of God, and his great welcoming heart.

Jane found nice ripe mangoes somewhere and shared with us.  Memories!!  Our favorite African fruit.

Known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

2 Corinthians 6:9, 10

What a gift!  It is amazing beyond thought.  Listen.  We are, to be sure, unknown, dying, beaten, sorrowful, poor, having nothing.  Poor us!!

That is not the reality that God gives us.  There is something much better.  Listen!  We are alive, not killed, always rejoicing, making many rich, having nothing, and yet possessing everything!  In my many travels I stood amazed when I found out what my fellow believers around the world go through!  One miracle after another.

We believers are not defeated but alive and victorious because of the wealth there is in Jesus Christ, our Friend and Redeemer.  It matters not what our circumstances.  This passage describes us all!  Now and ever.

Our daughter Jane brought several of these mango beauties.  We ate them with too many memories to recount.  God bless us and our mangoes!

If God is for us, who can be against us? Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Romans 8:33, 34

This passage begins with an amazing statement – that God is for us.  We know that and believe with all our hearts that it is true.  It is the rock on which all is built.  God is not against me but for me!  All Scriptures prove that.

So, if God is for me who can be against me?  No one! Jesus who died and was raised to life is interceding for me!  Is there anything better than that?

I begin the day with a strong assent to what God has done and will do for me.  Praise his name now and forever. 

^“Or else let them come to me for refuge; let them make peace with me, yes, let them make peace with me.”

Isaiah 27:5

I need a refuge, a place in which I am safe.  The devil offers many, many refuges that are not of God.  I seek no other, but the way of God.  We might be tempted to make peace with the enemy of our souls, only to our hurt.

We have one place to turn to – the only one!  Jesus Christ.  He is the one, the only one, with whom we must seek peace.  In Him is my refuge, my salvation, there is no other.

Thank you, God, for showing the way, for giving us eternal life.

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1 – 3

I love the Jesus who teaches how birds and flowers remind us of how we can enjoy new life in Jesus.

I quiver a bit when He reminds me of what it means to follow Jesus Christ.  What do I do naturally when I meet an obstacle to what I consider my faith?  I try to figure out how to escape!

Hold on!  I am struck with this penetrating truth – fix your eyes on Jesus.  That is the point of it all.  None of us will ever overcome, only Jesus can overcome – and He is in us!  The battle is his and the victory is His!

Update –

My blood issues continue.  I began a weekly injection to help the red cells.  Pray for me!

Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.

1 John 3:21, 22

I am asking, what is the difference between a condemning heart and a confident heart?  I suppose a condemning heart does not know the forgiving grace of God, a confident heart does!  That makes all the difference.

The believing heart wants to obey the commands of God, the hard heart does not believe.

May this morning worship be a time, once again, to renew my devotion to Jesus, turn again to Him, my loving Lord and express my desire to please Him! 

The fruit of the Spirit is joy.

Galatians 5:22

JOY!  I woke this morning, the first day of April and read these words that shook me bit.  I tend to look at problems that are growing at this age and forget the Jesus’ response – joy!

Is that what Anna Ruth and I felt as we had our prayer time this morning?  Praise God we did as we considered not our needs but our blessings.

This joy is not conjured up but is a fruit of the Spirit that is God’s handiwork, his alone!  So we begin the month with heart-felt expressions of that amazing gift of the Spirit, JOY.