What I’m referring to is lives; from those that were in the gutter to those that were affluent, successful and lost. From broken hearts and broken families, to those who lost hope, and especially those who cannot seem to make it to tomorrow.
I have seen a lot of different people become whole and renewed by the grace of God in their lives. There is nothing more encouraging than watching this in a friend, someone you know or even someone you have just met. What can be more fulfilling and exciting than seeing God work where he once was not found. Restoration is miracle work from God.
God mends ruined lives by giving them beauty for a heap of rubbish. As God promised Israel by the prophet Isaiah (61:3) “o console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
The Lord is saying that what is left looks like a heap of rubble but he can rebuild it into something of worth, that will bear fruit (Ps.1). In this God is glorified.
The Father says to the Son in Heb. 1:9: “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions."
Because Jesus hated wickedness and loved what is righteous he was anointed with the oil of joy above all others, and we can have the same joy despite our circumstances. 2 Cor 1:21-22: “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God. who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”
A guarantee of what? Of being His, and that we would have joy, the joy of our salvation.
It is Jesus’ desire that we have this happiness. John 15:11: “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
It comes through time of fellowship in His Word and prayer-1 John 1:3-4: “and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.’ What we need to do is pray in the name of Him that was anointed with joy, pray for what he prayed for- “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24).
There are many things that can rob one of joy; our circumstances, our attitude; even religion can crush ones happiness. Have you ever been so tired, stressed, unable to sleep because of circumstances in your life? Just like the human body- our soul needs rest. We need the turmoil to be replaced with peace, and this is what the Lord Jesus Christ promises to all those who come to Him by faith. Jesus said: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30).
Are we taking his yoke or are we carrying our own burdens? Unlike the Pharisees who saw everything through their own eyes of legalities, the laws they instituted crushed the people’s spirit. Religion makes one carry their own load. Jesus says His way is not a heavy burden. A yoke was a custom fitted piece of wood used to join two oxen side by side so they can work in the field together. Often a young ox was yoked with a mature young ox for its training. Our yoke is to Christ, and it is by the cross. He disciples us personally and we grow spiritually. It is done with gentleness not with harshness or force.
Isa 55:1-3: “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you-- the sure mercies of David.
God is giving everyone in the world an evangelistic invitation. He is asking for them to come to Him. Water and expresses the Holy Spirit, those who thirst (reminiscent of the woman at the well) Jn.4:4, 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”V.13 Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”
In Jn.7:37-38 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
God proclaims its free, there is no price to pay (someone already paid it), food, drink, wine, milk are symbolic of what God can give, these all represent things that nourish our soul. The abundant spiritual life is free to all who come to Jesus and gives you freedom, all one has to do is admit they are thirsty and hungry to eat and drink from him.
Why spend you time in something that cannot satisfy the deepest part of you- the soul. Why spend money on something that really has no spiritual value, for things that do not satisfy the soul. So many run to this seminar or that meeting hoping to get the keys to living- but only God can give you peace and joy in the deepest longing of the heart.
“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said” Once we believe in the gospel that Jesus gave we are regenerated; our spiritual understanding and a spiritual life have begun. We then have this life be made manifest through us to others “out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). It becomes our food to do His work and affect others as he as affected us.
Titus 3:5-7: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
It is by his mercies that we are not consumed by judgment. Grace is giving us something we don’t deserve (a gift); Mercy is not giving us something we do deserve (judgment). God wants to save people by what He has done because anything we do cannot save us. That is why it must all be by grace that comes directly from Him.
We become new creatures that find rest in Christ by faith in His work for us on the cross.
2 Cor. 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
To have this newness we are told to continually: “put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph 4:24). Col. 3:10: “and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.”
One day those who drank of His water and gave it to others will experience one of the greatest promises made by God: Rev. 21:5-6 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.”
It’s all free, it because of God’s love- He does this by grace. Once one understands grace they are set free to serve with gladness. That is the freedom that so many are looking for. to freely serve the one who made them and gives them life.
2 Thess. 2:16-17: “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.”
Let Us Reason
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