SHARING BIBLE VERSES

[Joe Sperling]

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.(2 Cor. 5:21 New International Version)

The Lord looks upon us as though we had never sinned. "Being freely justified by His Grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus"(Rom. 3:24). He has justified us, and declared us to be righteous before him---not by any works we have done, but as a totally free gift.  We may not "feel" like this is true---but God's Word declares it to be so!! We are as righteous as the most righteous saint in the Bible according to the Lord.  This is nothing we can boast of, as we cannot possibly "earn" any position with the Lord---this is ALL of Him, and is a free gift of God. It is a most amazing thought!!

"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much....Elijah prayed and it did not rain for the space of three and a half years upon the earth..."(James 5)  We have a tendency to say "But I'm no Elijah--he was totally a righteous man, etc., etc.,"  But why does James mention him in the context of the prayers of all saints? It is because God sees us as though we have never sinned, and we are righteous men and women before him, and our prayers can "avail much" if we pray according to his will!! In other words, do we have the pull an Elijah does with God?
Yes we do---according to God himself!! Not due to anything in us, but due to the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to us.

True---if we pray it doesn't rain for 3-1/2 years it's very doubtful that prayer will be answered  God had a very specific reason for witholding rain from the earth at that time. But if we pray for the lost, for the hurt and suffering, and for the world, we can KNOW that the Lord is dispatching angels, as he did for Daniel, to answer our prayers!! It seems that one of the biggest arenas of warfare in the Christian life is remembering who WE ARE IN CHRIST, and what we ALREADY HAVE as Christians. The battle has already been won, and we, in faith, just need to pray and have faith in God to accomplish that which is already a fact and a reality!!! And if our enemy knows this, then he is going to try to keep us from praying and from believing in the victory that is ALREADY OURS!! If he keeps us in deception about our standing before God, then we won't pray, and we won't appropriate what is already ours in Christ. If you keep telling a beautiful little girl that she is ugly enough times, she will come to believe it---the enemy uses the same strategy yet on a much higher level. There is a war going on and our adversaries use their "fiery darts" whenever they can. But we have a shield of faith.  We truly are "the righteousness of God IN HIM". Praise Jesus for loving us, and becoming sin for us, and setting us free!!

Bear with me for sharing these thoughts---I know I'm no C.H. Spurgeon    ---but sometimes thoughts hit you so strongly you almost want to scream them out!!  --JS

[Joe Sperling]

10He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

 11For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

 12As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

 13Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

 14For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
(Psalm 103: 10-14)

Our enemy, as always, seeks to alter our perception of God. He seeks to turn Him into a Judge, with "consequences" for every wrong. Thank God he has "not rewarded us according to our iniquities"---
as we all deserve to be swimming in a Lake of Fire right now. Praise God He is a Father who pities His
children, and has removed our sins so far away that He doesn't even remember them any more!! Through
Jesus He opened a way for us to be redeemed and forgiven for all of eternity. Thank God He remembers
we are dust, and knows how we so easily forget how grateful we should be to Him at all times.

[Joe Sperling]

4. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.

 5. He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.(PS 111:4,5)

Verse 5 reminds me of Matt. 6:26 where Jesus says to "consider the fowls of the air; they neither sow nor reap, yet your Heaven Father feeds them".

The birds simply eat what has been provided for them. We as believers are just the same---we rely solely on the "exceeding great and precious promises" the Lord has given us. And the Lord is "ever mindful" of every promise he has made for us and to us. He is "gracious and full of compassion".

[Joe Sperling]

At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2
He called a child over, placed it in their midst,
3
and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
4
Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5
4 And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
6
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. (Matt. 18)


One chapter later:

Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them,
14
but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
15
After he placed his hands on them, he went away. (Matt. 19)

I was reading these two chapters last night. I had never noticed this before for some reason.  In Chapter 18 Jesus takes a child, and in front of the disciples says that unless they become as that child they cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. He then states that whoever offends one of them that believes in him it were better that a millstone be hung around their neck and cast into the sea.  But then in Chapter 19, just a short time later, we see these same disciples "rebuking" little children for coming to Jesus. The lesson from Chapter 18 had gone "in one ear and out the other" for these disciples. Whether they were "rebuking" the children themselves, or those who brought the children to Jesus (not sure of the exact interpretation here), the disciples still had hardened hearts, and had not listened to what Jesus said just a short time (a few days?) before.

It is just so amazing how WE are so dull of hearing sometimes. We are so slow to hear, to understand, and to follow what the Lord has said! But the Lord, as he is with these same disciples, is so patient and merciful to us!
One other characteristic that little children also possess is the need to be told several times the same lesson before it seems to "sink in".    Thank God He doesn't give up on us after repeated attempts to get us to see something very important in our lives! He is so gracious towards us!

[Christine]

3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ,

3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

Phil 3: 8-17

I think verses 13-14 are one of my favorites

[Christine]

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding, In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6

[Christine]

Phil.
1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:

[Christine]

Psalm 66:16, "Come and hear, all who fear God, and I will tell of what He has done for my soul."

[outdeep]

Psalm 66:16, "Come and hear, all who fear God, and I will tell of what He has done for my soul."

OK, Christine, I'm here.  What has he done?

[Christine]

OK, Christine, I'm here.  What has he done?

Thanks for leting me know of your arrival..

[outdeep]

Psalm 66:16, "Come and hear, all who fear God, and I will tell of what He has done for my soul."

OK, Christine, I'm here.  What has he done?

Thanks for leting me know of your arrival..

Are you going to tell me or are you merely transcribing verses?

[Joe Sperling]

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Cor. 2:9)

Think of the most beautiful thing you have ever seen, or the most beautiful music you have ever
heard. Then think of the most wonderful feelings of joy and love you have ever experienced.  Then
multiply those same things times infinity. What an amazing eternity we are going to enter----and
most importantly, when we cross that line from time into eternity, the first person we will most likely
meet will be Jesus. That is a thought too wonderful to comprehend.

[Christine]

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Cor. 2:9)

Think of the most beautiful thing you have ever seen, or the most beautiful music you have ever
heard. Then think of the most wonderful feelings of joy and love you have ever experienced.  Then
multiply those same things times infinity. What an amazing eternity we are going to enter----and
most importantly, when we cross that line from time into eternity, the first person we will most likely
meet will be Jesus. That is a thought too wonderful to comprehend.

Joe,
Glad youre back posting.

Thanks for sharing this verse. God is faithful and good to us.

[Joe Sperling]

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Rev. 21: 4-7)

[Joe Sperling]

"So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.
Cast some of your worries upon him because he cares for you". (1 Pet. 5:6,7)

I altered the verse above to match how I have a tendency to apply it most of the time.   

The phrase "some of your worries" should be "ALL of your worries" of course! What a caring
and loving Father we have, that He wants us to take ALL to him in prayer!