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Liberty Worship Center

Tag: Jesus

  • Commitment

    empty tomb looking out at a cross

    Commitment

    Love

    Can God be taken by surprise? Of course not. He knows all things, sees all things, and lives outside of what we call time. He truly is the Great I Am – always present. When Adam and Eve sinned, was God surprised? Definitely not. He knew that we would fail, but He created us anyway. Before my wife and I had children, we knew that they would struggle at times and not be perfect, but we decided to have them anyway. Just like we looked forward to loving our children, in spite of whatever mistakes they might make, God did the same. Because of His love for us, He created us. Just like we treasure spending time with our children and grandchildren, God loves spending time with us.

    Chosen Beforehand

    Ephesians 1:3-4a (NASB)

    3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
    4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.

    God chose us (everyone who will come to Him) “before the foundation of the world.” He didn’t have to do it, but He did. His love compelled Him. In the same way that I made a commitment to my children before they were born, God made a commitment to us before He created us. He chose to love us, protect us, and be with us, while also allowing us to have a free will. True love is only possible when it is a choice. God allows us to either choose or reject Him.

    His Purpose

    2 Timothy 1:8-9 (NASB)

    8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,
    9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,

    We were not created “on a whim.” God had and still has a purpose for each one of us. God’s purpose is for us to receive his gift and grace that He has given to each one of us. Each one of us has a “holy calling.” This calling is not because of any good deeds that we have done. We can’t earn God’s love; He gives it to us freely. If we were to try to buy it, we couldn’t afford it, anyway.

    God’s Love

    Ephesians 2:4-7 (NASB)

    4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
    5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
    6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
    7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

    When Jesus committed to loving us, He held nothing back; He was all in.

    Philippians 2:5-8 (NASB)

    5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
    6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
    7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
    8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

    Jesus, the Creator of the universe and everything in it, “emptied” and “humbled” Himself to the point that He became a man. He not only became a man, but a servant of men. He did not come to rule, but to serve. He showed us and told us that was how we should serve each other.

    Perfect Time

    Galatians 4:4-5 (NASB)

    4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
    5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

    The “fullness of the time” means that Jesus did not come too soon or too late; He came at the perfect time. He did not hesitate. He committed to us before He created us, so at the right time, He came and lived among us.

    He Became a Curse

    Galatians 3:13 (NASB)

    13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us or it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”

    We were under a curse, just like Adam and Eve were, because of our sins. We have all sinned; we have all fallen short of God’s calling for each one of us (Rom.3:23). Jesus knew that would happen, and He also knew that there was only one way that we could be reconciled to Him.

    2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB)

    21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

    Jesus took our sins on Himself when He was on the cross, so that we would no longer be under the curse of sin. He then put that curse to death, because He had no sin Himself, making His sacrifice the only possible perfect sacrifice, completely fulfilling the justice that our sins deserved.

    He Condemned Sin

    Romans 8:3-4 (NASB)

    3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,
    4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

    Sin no longer controls us, if we are living in Christ, and are walking “according to the Spirit.” We can now walk (live) freely, without being controlled by sin.

    Our Debt is Canceled

    Colossians 2:13-15 (NASB)

    13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
    14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
    15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

    Jesus took our sin debt that we all owed, and He “nailed it to the cross.” He did this publicly, taking away the power of death that Satan was able to hold over our heads. We no longer have to fear death, if we are living in Christ. Satan, his demons, and all those who choose to follow him, have no right or authority over us; we now belong to Jesus!

    Freedom

    Hebrews 2:14-15 (NASB)

    14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
    15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

    The fear of death is something that is common to almost everyone. Before we were born again, we rightfully feared death, knowing instinctively that death was not a good thing. This made us slaves all of our lives. When we found Christ (or were found by Him), He set us free from this slavery. He bought our freedom with His own blood, with His unimaginable sacrifice for us. We no longer have to fear death; we no longer have to worry about what others might do to us.

    No Fear

    Luke 12:4-5 (NASB)

    4 “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.
    5 “But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!

    The only One Who we need to impress is our all-loving God. He paid the price for us and showed us the way. Jesus even came and gave us His perfect example of how to live. We can now live without fear. If someone threatens my life, I will not allow that to control me. I only have to fear God – no one else, and He loves me more than I can understand. God is love (1 John 4:8).

    Our Part

    Ephesians 2:8-10 (NASB)

    8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
    9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
    10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

    Jesus paid the price, He taught us, He gave us the perfect example of how to live, and we see that He even planned out the best way for each one of us to live. He has laid out things for each one of us to do. Just like He had a calling and purpose, we do, too. He made a commitment to us before He even created us. He then followed through on each step of that commitment.
    We made a commitment to God when we said that we would follow Him. We now need to follow through with that commitment, no matter the cost, no matter how difficult, no matter what we might think. He always knows best.

    Love One Another

    1 John 4:9 (NASB)

    9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
    10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
    11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

    As Christ loves us, we should love each other. As He forgave us when we didn’t deserve it, we should forgive each other when we don’t deserve it. As He gave His all to show His love for us, we should give our all to show our love for others.

    More…

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  • What a Day!

    frustrated girl in front of tablet

    What a Day!

    Hard Days

    Sometimes, life just seems too hard. Rent is due. Car needs work. Kids need new clothes. Having trouble with my spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend/fill-in-the-blank. On top of it all, some artificial intelligence (AI) is probably about to take my job and make me obsolete!
    In some ways, in seems like it would have been easier to live in a different time. In other ways, we can marvel at what we see and be thankful that we live in this time (can you say air conditioning?). The Bible tells us about people who also went through struggles – some of them far worse.

    Job

    Job 3:1-5 (NASB)

    1 Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
    2 And Job said,
    3 “Let the day perish on which I was to be born, And the night which said, A boy is conceived.
    4 “May that day be darkness; Let not God above care for it, Nor light shine on it.
    5 “Let darkness and black gloom claim it; Let a cloud settle on it; Let the blackness of the day terrify it.

    We can understand how Job felt. He had seven sons and three daughters. He was very wealthy, and everyone respected him. In one day, all of his cattle were either stolen or killed, and all of his children were killed. He lost all of his possessions. Later, he got some type of skin disease. He looked and felt horrible. He had nothing. He lost all of his children. All of his friends and neighbors considered him cursed of God, and even the children mocked him. His best friends came to comfort him, but they only made him feel worse.
    He no longer wanted to exist. Notice, though, that he never mentioned suicide, nor did he curse God. Instead, he praised God and confirmed his trust in Him.

    Job 19:25 (NASB)

    25 “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.

    Restoration

    Job knew that God was loving and merciful, in spite of what was happening in his life at that time. He knew that God would eventually deliver him, and God did. After a very difficult period, God healed him, gave him seven more sons and three more daughters, restored twice as much wealth as he had before, and restored his position in his community.
    This only happened because he remained faithful.

    Jeremiah

    God called Jeremiah to prophesy against kings and other very powerful people. Of course, they did not like this, so they would often beat him, mock him, and steal his things. This had happened to Jeremiah again, and he was getting very depressed.

    Jeremiah 20:14-15 (NASB)

    14 Cursed be the day when I was born; Let the day not be blessed when my mother bore me!
    15 Cursed be the man who brought the news To my father, saying, “A baby boy has been born to you!” And made him very happy.

    He was still trusting God, and he was giving Him praise, knowing that God would eventually deliver Him. Still, he wondered:

    Why Me?

    Jeremiah 20:18 (NASB)

    18 Why did I ever come forth from the womb To look on trouble and sorrow, So that my days have been spent in shame?

    Do you ever wonder why it seems like everyone else is doing better than you are (hint: they’re not)? We all go through trials. How we handle them determines if we get closer to God or further away.

    Good Days

    Yes, good days do come. Probably not as many as we would like, but they do come.

    Psalms 34:3-4 (NASB)

    3 O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.
    4 I sought the LORD, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.

    Those who trust in God will be delivered.

    Looking Ahead

    1 Peter 1:10-12 (NASB)

    10 As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries,
    11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.
    12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven – things into which angels long to look.

    The Old Testament prophets would prophesy about Jesus, the coming Messiah, the Savior of the world, but they could only see part of the picture. They could not see just how much Jesus was going to do for us, but they longed to see. Even the angels wanted to know what was going to happen.

    What a Day!

    Luke 2:6-7 (NASB)

    6 While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.
    7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

    The day that Jesus was born, our salvation was born. This day was going to affect everything that came before, everything that was, and everything that was going to come.
    Jesus came to live a perfect life, then teach us how to live an abundant life in Christ, then die for our sins, and be raised up from the dead to give us eternal life.

    Fullness of Time

    Galatians 4:4-5 (NASB)

    4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
    5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

    At the perfect time, Jesus came to earth as a man. He lived under the same constraints, hardships, pains, and difficulties that we all experience. Then, He paid the penalty for our sin. We all deserved death, but He took our place.

    Salvation

    John 3:16-18 (NASB)

    16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
    17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
    18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

    Jesus came so that we could live with Him forever. Left to ourselves, we had no chance, because no one else has ever lived a perfect, sin-free life. He wants us to trust Him and live for Him, so that we can have eternal life, rejoicing with Him forever.

    New Heaven and Earth

    Revelation 21:1-4 (NASB)

    1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
    2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
    3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
    4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

    God wants to be with us forever, just like a good father loves to spend time with his children. One day, everything that we know here will pass away, and it will all be new. God will create the perfect place for us to live together with Him for all of eternity.
    Oh, what a day! What a day that will be!

    Calling

    Jesus is calling to you today. Will you answer? Call to Him and speak with Him. He is waiting for you.

    If you would like someone to help you with your new life with Jesus, please contact us. We would love the opportunity to get to know you better and help you on this incredible journey.

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  • Saving for the Future

    Saving for the Future

    Savings

    Most people want to save up for something. Maybe it’s a new car, or a better house, or college education. Whatever it is, it’s worth sacrificing a little today, so they can have something nice in the future. We all dream of a better life, nicer clothes, living in a new neighborhood, etc.
    What are we willing to give up now to get our dream in the future?

    Delay of Gratification

    Saving for the future usually requires denying ourselves something now. If we want to buy a house, we might need to rent a less-expensive apartment, so we can save up for the down payment on a house. If we want to send our children to better schools, we probably can’t go out to eat every night.
    If we want to follow Jesus now, there are some things that we have to give up.

    Luke 9:23 (NASB)

    23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.

    Self-denial sounds like a bad thing, but it’s not always bad. For example, I intentionally deny myself food I don’t like. I also deny myself the act of hitting my head against a wall (usually). Most importantly, I deny myself things that will come between me and my relationship with God. To me, not having that closeness with Jesus hurts more than wall-induced headaches.
    What are some of the things that come between us and God?

    Hindrances

    Idolatry is when we worship someone or something more than, or instead of God alone. It can also be considering something else more important than He is to us. Throughout the Bible, God uses the example of marriage to show our relationship with Him. He created us so that He could love us.

    Colossians 3:5 (NASB)

    5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.

    Here, Paul is telling us some of the things that God views as idolatry – worshiping a different god. They are also things that harm our lives and the lives of those around us.
    Immorality: Just like Adam and Eve, we were created to marry someone of the opposite sex and live with them for the rest of our lives. Any other sex might seem like fun at the time, but it always causes heartache in the end, leaving ruined lives behind.
    Impurity: There are temptations all around us in movies, the Internet, social media, or just crude jokes with friends or coworkers. What we do starts with what we think.
    Passion: Passion within a marriage is good; anything else is not.
    Evil desire: wanting something that we know we should not have. A young child might dream of eating nothing but candy and sweets. That can keep them from actually eating good, nutritious food, though.
    Greed: It can be easy, at times, to see someone else with something that we want. We might think that we deserve it more than they do. A major part of living a life pleasing to God is accepting how he created us. I will never be the richest or poorest. I will never be the best-looking or the worst-looking. There are many things that we will never be, but we will always be created in the image of God, and worthy of living a godly life.

    Satisfaction

    Philippians 4:12-13 (NASB)

    12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
    13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

    Paul learned, through his life experiences, how to be content, whether he had a lot or a little. He knew that wherever he was in life, His heavenly Father would be there with him, helping him every step of the way.

    Easy Labor

    Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB)

    28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
    29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.
    30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

    Yes, we do have to work in this life, but Jesus told us to take His yoke, to take His burden. When we are living for the devil, we carry a heavy burden of sin, guilt, and shame. Jesus wants to set us free from all of that.

    The Enemy

    1 Peter 5:8 (NASB)

    8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

    We do have an actual enemy called the devil or Satan. Long ago, he was jealous of God and wanted to be God. God, thankfully, did not allow that. He banished Satan from His presence. Since God created us (and not the angels) in His image, Satan hates us and delights in hurting us. This is why he tempts us with evil things. He knows that they will separate us from God. He knows that they will keep us in bondage to him, not set us free in Christ.

    Finding Your Life

    Luke 9:24-26 (NASB)

    24 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.
    25 “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?
    26 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

    In order to have a good life now, and for eternity, we need to be willing to give up the harmful things in our lives. Nothing in this world can compare to spending eternity with Jesus in heaven, and the best part is that we don’t have to wait. We can live that abundant life right now.

    Abundant Life

    John 10:10 (NASB)

    10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

    When Jesus said “abundantly”, He used a word that meant something that exceeded what was necessary – a super-abundance.

    Down Payment

    2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NASB)

    21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God,
    22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.

    The same Holy Spirit Who was there in creation, the same Holy Spirit Who enabled Jesus to live a sin-free life, the same Holy Spirit Who raised Jesus from the dead, has been given to us, by Jesus, as a pledge, or down payment, with much more to come.

    Divine Helper

    John 14:16-17 (NASB)

    16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
    17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

    When Jesus was walking this earth with His disciples, He could only be one place at one time. In order to complete His work, He needed to be wherever His children were, whenever they needed Him. After He died for us on the cross, then was raised up again, He sent the Holy Spirit to comfort us, to help us, and to give us a taste of what to expect in heaven.

    Building for the Future

    1 Corinthians 3:11-15 (NASB)

    11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
    12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
    13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.
    14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.
    15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

    The things that we do determine what we have. If we build a shelter out of cardboard, it will protect us from the sun, but not from any rain. If we build a substantial house, with a strong foundation, strong walls, and a reinforced roof, even a hurricane won’t be able to blow it down.
    The trials of life will test what we are building today. After this life is over, there will be a judgment day that will test what we are building. If we build with gold and silver, they will only get stronger and more purified when tested by fire. We can settle for less, but the end result will ultimately be less, and might even be completely burned up.

    Crown of Righteousness

    2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NASB)

    7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;
    8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

    At the end of our lives, may we all be able to say, as Paul did, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” If we do this, we will also have a “crown of righteousness” waiting for us. Truly, Jesus is the only one Who deserves this crown, but He wants to share this with everyone who has “loved His appearing.”

    Eternal Life

    Ever since the Garden of Eden, God has been calling to us to spend time with Him. Today can be the start of a new beginning for you. Call to Him today, and He will help you on a journey that we keep going up, all the way to eternity.

    If you would like to discuss this with someone or would like prayer, please send us a message by clicking here.