Who are you from God's perspective? #19

Well let's jump right in and see another way God sees us this morning!



John 15:16



16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.



This verse can be confusing because folks tend to interpret it in different ways. Some believe that this verse means God chooses who will be saved and who will not. I disagree. I believe all have the opportunity to ask Jesus into their lives through the Holy Spirit. This verse is talking to all folks who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior and thus He has chosen us to bear fruit! In reality none of would choose God on our own, we are to selfish. God has choosen all of us and I base that on this verse:



2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.



God does not want anyone going to hell and gives everyone a chance to receive Jesus! It is our choice to follow or deny God!



Now in the John verse we see God sees us doing something: bearing fruit. Notice the language used "go and bear". I don't see anything about if you feel like it, it is a command. "Go" is translated as "as you are going". So it is to be a daily event as you are doing your life. What is bearing fruit? Serving Jesus by loving God, loving others, praying, sharing the gospel, and meeting needs. So are you obeying this command?



So this morning we see we are chosen by God and we are to bear fruit! That is how God sees us!



Tom

Who are you from God's perspective? #18

July 30, 2013 at 7:50am

I am hoping when school gets back going I will get back in some kind of order again. Thanks for hanging with me through the Summer! Now let's get to the devotion.

Today we will look at how God sees us and expects us to be as believers in Christ. Here is the verses for today:Matthew 5:13-14

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Two things we need to catch from the Word today. The first is we are salt. Salt has two main purposes for our use. To add flavor and to preserve. So when we relate it to our walk with God we are to add to peoples lives. Be of value and help them to see Jesus! are you doing that? If you are, AWESOME keep up the good work! If you are not look what God says "good for nothing". Ouch! The second purpose of salt to preserve was used to keep meat for a longer period of time so it would not rot. We are to try to help preserve souls! It is our job to share Jesus and help keep souls from hell! Are you a preservative? WE all should be! We have a purpose and God sees us as salt!

The second way God sees us in this scripture is as light. We are to shine for our Savior like a city on a hill that can be seen miles and miles away! Can others tell by the way you live your life and by the way you talk you are a follower of Jesus Christ? Your love for Jesus as this verse says "cannot be hidden". It reminds me of another verse:

Luke 9:26

For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.

If we are not showing our light it could be we are ashamed of our Savior...I pray this is not the case!So we see this morning God sees us as salt and light, may we give God the glory by living our lives as He sees us!

Tom

Christian sexuality-truth from God's Word.

 Worth the time to watch...Christian sexuality.
RADICAL

Who are you from God's perspective? #17

Another great verse from God's Word this morning, seeing how God views us. Check out this verse:



1 John 5:18

18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.



This verse takes a little explanation and a little knowledge of the whole bible because it could very easily be taken out of context on its own. First this verse says when we are born of God we do not sin. Now we all know that we do sin even after receiving Christ but in the view of God we do not sin because we are covered by the blood of Jesus for sins in the past, present, and future! Now it is important to strive not to sin and when we do to confess it up to God, but we are forgiven...thank God!



The next part of the verse comforts me this morning, the wicked one does not touch him. What does this mean? It means we have to power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the temptations of the devil! Plain and simple. When we give into sin it is our fault! We have the power to overcome Satan! He can't touch us with sin if we do not allow him to. That is awesome news!



So how does God see us this morning? We are born of God and our sin is covered, and Satan can not touch us! Whew that should get you excited this morning!



Have a blessed day!



Tom

Who are you from God's perspective? #16

This mornings view from God is awesome and will make you smile if you are a follower of Jesus! Check this verse out:



Philippians 3:20-21



20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.



Did you catch that? Where is our citizenship? In Heaven! Think about that! If you are a follower of Jesus your ticket has already been punched! Another verse to verify that is this:



Romans 8:17

and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.



You can't be joint heir with Jesus unless you are a citizen of heaven. Wow that makes me want to shout!



As we wait for our Savior to return and transform our broken bodies to be like His glorified body, remember to whom you belong....God! Jesus has already conquered the cross and will soon come back and set up His Kingdom conquering all the unbelievers. Oh how I long for that day!



So rejoice this morning, you my friend are a citizen of heaven if you have trusted Christ as Savior, if you haven't why not do it right now? I would love to help you, just message me!



Tom

Who are you from God's perspective? #15

Sorry for the long break my friends. I have been to Ecuador on a mission trip and then I was back for one day and took the youth from the church to camp for a week. God blessed in many ways but I did miss writing these devotions. So let's return to looking at how God sees us.



What a great verses to return too!



2 Corinthians 1:21-22



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



We have no hope without Christ...none! Jesus establishes us when we receive Him as Lord of our lives. We are then anointed to serve Him. Wow just think on that for a moment. The word anointed means: to dedicate to the service of God. Are you fulfilling your anointing? The great news does not stop there, We also have been sealed and given the Spirit! When we are sealed we are protected. Here is another verse that tells us when we are genuinely in Christ nothing can remove us. As this verse goes on to say it is a guarantee! Praise God! We are also told we are given the Spirit which lives in our heart as soon as we accept Jesus as Lord! The Spirit is our guide for life! We must listen to His leading in all areas of our life.



So this morning we see that God sees us as established in Christ, anointed to serve, and sealed by God....forever! A great Word from God to start off our Monday!



Tom

Who are you from God's perspective? #14

Did you know God sees you as complete! If you are covered by the blood of Jesus you are complete. Chew on that for a few minutes after reading this verse:



Colossians 2:10

10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.



The dictionary defines complete like this: having all parts or elements; lacking nothing; whole; entire; full: Now think of that in how God sees you a child of His. Wow! My favorite part of that definition is lacking nothing. When you became a follower of Jesus, you are now lacking nothing in the eyes of God. That is hard to grasp for me because the old devil is always trying to put doubts in my head in my relationship with God and my obedience to Him. But when you are washed in the blood of Jesus you are complete! Praise God!



So today live victoriously because you are complete in the eyes of God, lacking nothing!



Tom

Who are you from God's perspective? #13

Look at how God sees you this morning if you are a believer in Christ:


Colossians 1:14

14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.



God see you first of all as redeemed! What exactly does that mean? Well the dictionary defines it as this: to buy or pay off; clear by payment. Whew! Think about that for a moment. What was paid off for you? You sin and punishment. When Jesus dies on that cross and you accepted his free gift of salvation, God no longer sees you sin! Thank you Jesus!



Second, of all you are forgiven in God's eyes if you have given Jesus your life. According to the dictionary to be forgiven means: to cancel an indebtedness or liability of. We are indebted to God because of the sin that is in our life. We have a liability which is sin. BUT God cancels that debt and liability through what His Son Jesus did on the cross!



God sees you as redeemed and forgiven, isn't that awesome news? Don't let the devil beat you down with guilt or shame, when God forgives it is gone. And as Jesus said "Go and sin no more"!



Tom