What Did Jesus Do for You? 2 Corinthians 8:9

Can anyone fully appreciate what Jesus did for us?  Ponder what the apostle says:

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9 NIV.

GRACE
The word “grace” confuses people and in this context we see Jesus doing something he could have legitimately refused, yet did anyway- at great cost.

RICHES
We cannot define the riches Jesus had before his incarnation but they must have been beyond measure.  Heavenly riches supersede anything in this universe all the riches of this universe combined would not add up to a dust mote on the riches Jesus had in heaven.

POOR
He gave up those awesome eternal riches to become dirty, hungry, lonely, humble, and poor in the poorest country in the Roman Empire; to be born in a dirty,  stinky, stable and wander as a misunderstood teacher who was betrayed by his followers and abandoned by his students to be tortured to death on a shameful cross.  His worldly possessions at death were only the robe and the shirt off his bloody torn back.

WHY
Why would he do this? Jesus explained it on the eve of his crucifixion. “Greater love has no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friend.” (John 15:13). His love compelled him to do this, he did it for you.

What Did Jesus Do For You?

What is gained by his sacrifice?  He paid for the sins that enslave us and condemn us all to eternal judgment.   He did what we could not do, and became our sin offering. Jesus’ death paid for our sins and God gives salvation on the merit of his sacrifice for you.

God doesn't just say, “Ok, you are saved from hell now and I will no longer see your sin, so you can come and squat in some corner outside of hell for eternity,” God would be justified if he did, but He goes far beyond salvation and gives us wonderful riches- and that is grace.

Jesus did this wonderful and unimaginable thing for you and all he asks is that you turn from sin that hurt him and you, admit your need and let him into your life; and then you will receive the riches of salvation that he offers.

To learn more about salvation visit my other blog: click here.


(c)Adron Dozat 

What Puts God in Your Debt? Proverbs 19:17

What if you could do something that would put God in your debt, or earn God's gratitude?

"He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord. He will repay him for what he has done." Proverbs 19:17.

GOD THE FATHER
God is all-loving. He loves people great and little, wise and foolish. If God loves people and you are kind to people, (who God loves), then you are doing something kind to God.  God is the Creator and Father of us all, so if you are kind to a person He created you show kindness to God.  If a child is in trouble and someone helps the child the parents are extremely grateful.  Apply this to the verse above; we are all God's children, if we are kind to the ones who are less fortunate the Father, Creator and Lord will appreciate it- even be grateful.

In the entire universe, only human beings have the opportunity to show kindness to those God loves, only human beings may lend to the Lord in this way.

WHY THE POOR
God does not need our charity; He is not in trouble and looking for a handout. I t grieves us to see misfortune come, and hard to understand why God allows it, but misfortune gives context for good and gives good the opportunity to manifest itself as we respond in kindness. Because there are poor we have the opportunity to show kindness to the poor and hereby to show kindness to God.

LENDS
Would God default on a debt?  To ask is foolish.  God will be no man's debtor and He will pay back abundantly.  Yet for God to pay back our kindness to those less fortunate is gracious for we should be kind to those in need out of love and compassion.  It should be enough motivation that our kindness is done to those who our Savior loved and died for, and if God pays that kindness back it is to His credit not ours.

PEOPLE
Since God cherishes people we should too, if you love God you will take care to cherish and respect the things God loves- meaning people. If God loves that poor person who is digging through the trash for his dinner then that alone should be enough reason for us to act on their behalf.

ACT
The words above "is kind" directly points to the word "is done." though this verse reveals a truth about God it is really a verse about actions taken. Let us look for the opportunities to do actions of kindness to others for we are not rewarded until we are done.

© Adron 11/9/11

A Christianity that is un-American. Philippians 3:7-9

There are a few teachings of the Bible that stand in defiance of modern views.

“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ…” Philippians 3:7-9.

Ours is a consumer-driven materialistic generation. We quickly acquire the newest technology, the latest electronics, and the most up to date toys. How different we are from our Lord who was a homeless traveling teacher possessing only the clothes on his torn back the day he was crucified.

THINGS LOSS
Why are we not like the Apostle who considered “everything loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus?” We have to know Christ, seek him, become intimate with his words and teaching. Intimacy with Jesus will keep us from being allured by advertisements that call us from the Lord and enslave us to the idea that possessions give meaning. Jesus has been out-marketed by TV commercials, junk mail, billboards, digital media and all the weapons of advertisers.

GREATNESS
The Apostle Paul considered knowing Jesus to have “surpassing greatness.” The surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus was a fact to him. Knowing Jesus was so much more, above, and ahead of anything else he could do, be, or possess. To Paul all profit gain, possessions, status, wealth, and treasures did not compare to Jesus; Jesus was the greater treasure to Paul.

FOR THE SAKE OF...
How could he consider “all things loss for the sake of Christ?” Did he know something we don’t? Do we not know the same Christ? The Jesus we hear taught about today is a watered-down and sterilized from the dynamic world-changing Jesus whose followers brought down empires. Our Jesus is the helpless baby in a manger, or the misunderstood teacher, or the abandoned martyr on the cross.

GREATER WORTH
Paul had a vision of who Jesus was, and his Jesus was worth all things; status, reputation, finical security, future plans, friendships, wealth, and whatever you name. Let’s find that Jesus. It takes time, time in the Word, prayer, communion, service, and fellowship, but we can do it; when we do we again will turn the world upside down.

MODERN PAULS
If Paul lost all things to know Christ what can we moderns point to and say, "I have counted this as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ?" After all, what is there that really does compare to knowing Jesus? Let’s not spend our time and resources gaining more things- instead, let’s rediscover Jesus.

Thank you for visiting and reading my blog. I sincerely hope this post is helpful and is an encouragement.  For more like this see the most popular post in the left sidebar, or use the search box above. 

(c)Adron Dozat 11/26/10

Where Can You Find Loving Help If You Are The Most Worst Person There Is? Matthew 8:2-3.

This short post proves that no matter how bad off you are, how shameful or vile you are, there is someone where you can find compassion.

We have struggles with things that are shameful and are slowly eating us away from the inside out. Where can you go and get help without being judged and condemned?

“A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, 'Lord if you are willing, you can make me clean.' Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man, 'I am willing,' he said. 'Be clean!' Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.” Matthew 8:2- 3. NIV

THE NAMELESS LEPER

Every time he saw his hands, arms, legs, or feet, he would see the loathsome sores and rotting flesh of a painful creeping death.  This dreaded disease had the stigma of sin and God’s judgment.  The leprous had to wear rags and live apart from society, and whenever another person approached, they must call out, "Unclean! Unclean!"  The response would have been curses punctuated with thrown stones.

What beauty and compassion to see Jesus speak to him with tenderness and to do the unthinkable- to touch the man with leprosy and to risk the contamination of the disease.  The touch may have meant more to the man than the healing.

WHAT THE LEPER KNEW

The beggar called Jesus Lord.  This is in contrast to the action Jesus takes moments later.  A lord or king does not touch a common person, and in first-century Jewish culture, he would not even speak to a leprous person.  The beggar knew Jesus was the Lord.

He knew that Jesus was able to cleanse him. He did not ask, "Are you are able?" believing that Jesus was able is implied when he stated that if Jesus was willing, he could heal him.

He knew his place was on his knees before Jesus. Not only since Christ as Lord but as a humble petitioner.

COMPASSION

Jesus spoke kindly and gently to the beggar.  His words, "I am willing." are among the most significant words ever written.  Amazingly, Jesus touched the untouchable man, a man who has not known a human touch for so long- and he is healed.

This Savior who touches the untouchable is Lord and Master.

If Jesus were among us today, he would not steer away from people who struggle with addictions, abuse, deformity, poverty, ignorance, and slavery to harmful lifestyles; he would reach out to touch them.

I AM WILLING

Jesus said. "I am willing." as he touched this poor soul, and on his lips, those words are golden music from heaven.  He is willing to heal and to touch.  It is not only good wishes or good intentions, but he is purposeful in healing us.  He is willing- after all, he left his place in heaven. He came to be our Savior by dying for our sins and to give us eternal life, thereby dealing with the cause of our inner darkness and beginning the process of transforming us into new creatures.

THE TOUCH OF JESUS HEALS
When we come to Jesus with our own personal leprosy, we can kneel before him and say, if you are willing, you can heal me- and we can be assured that he is willing.

(c) Adron 8/18/10