"Yes, the sin of our first parents marks and stains all of us. Our minds and wills resist the light and prefer the darkness. The more we thrash around in the soup of sin, the deeper we sink. The only way out is a salvation that comes from a power that stands outside of the mess in which we find ourselves. Only God intervening in the person of Jesus to live and die on the cross on our behalf could rescue us from our helpless condition in sin.
Jesus is the Saviour of the world. Only an "alien righteousness", as Martin Luther called it [Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians (Grand Rapids: Revell, 1994)], offering us a perfect record that is not our own, can save us. For this reason the gospel truly is the greatest news on the face of the earth." -Peter Scazzero, taken from the book "Emotionally Healthy Spiritually" p. 44
Merry X'mas!
(28-11-2012, 11:53 AM)Temperament Wrote: [ -> ][Image: Shalom-Beyond-Your-Wildest-Imagination_1.png]
Dear Friend,
When you imagine a picture of peace, the cover of this envelope may not be what comes to mind.
Perhaps you think of a beautiful ravine with a trickling brook, or a sensational ocean view as the sun sets, or a wonderful spa experience with soothing music playing in the background, but certainly not a raging ocean storm.
Yet, Jesus said He would leave us His very own peace, peace that goes far beyond human understanding. Peace in the midst of the storms of life we all encounter.
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
How could Jesus have slept in the bottom of a boat during a terrible storm at sea (Mark 4)? I have been on the Sea of Galilee. The local Jewish guide told me that the hills on either side of the Sea of Galilee act as a type of wind tunnel, which create severe storms. My guide described how a wall of water can cascade from one side of the lake to the other as the wind pushes through the funnel shaped hills. My guide emphatically stated that you would never want to be caught in this storm. Yet, during one of these impassable storms, in the face of almost certain death, Jesus was at rest in the bottom of the boat in the middle of the surging sea!
Maybe you feel like wall after wall of insurmountable problems come against your life, your family, your business, your body or your mind. Perhaps you don’t see how you will make it through the situation with your life and sanity in tact. Yet, Jesus promised us His very own personal peace … in the midst of the tempest. The same peace He had in the bottom of the boat in the storm.
* What was the peace Jesus had? How can we have it? *
The Hebrew word for peace is “Shalom”. Jesus, who spoke Hebrew, would have said, “My shalom I give to you…”. What does Shalom mean? According to the Hebrew dictionary it means:
[Image: july_2010-pic1.jpg]
Sensational! Jesus gave us His very own Health! His very own Prosperity! His very own Safety! His very own Completeness! We have all that was His, and this includes peace!
Jesus says to each of us TODAY!
Completeness I leave with you, My Completeness I give to you.
Safety I leave with you, My Safety I give to you.
Health I leave with you, My Health I give to you.
Prosperity I leave with you, My Prosperity I give to you.
Contentment I leave with you, My Contentment I give to you.
Jesus never promised us freedom from all trying circumstances. Quite the contrary:
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him (us) out of them all!”
Psalm 34:19
That was David speaking, and the Apostle Paul also echoed those sentiments in Romans 5 when he stated, “we glory in tribulations”. No, Paul and David did not promote a masochistic attitude toward life. Paul merely stated that in life we will face problems, but we have many reasons to rejoice. We have Jesus’ Shalom!
Now, let’s look at the second part of John 14:27,
“…not as the world gives do I give to you”.
The world’s view of peace is the absence of all outward problems. It is temporal, based upon circumstances: a beautiful spa, a calm lake in the early morning or a breathtaking sunset.
[Image: july_2010-pic2.jpg]
The peace that Jesus has left us, His own Shalom, starts on the inside and transforms our outward reality. Notice, Jesus had shalom in a storm on the Sea of Galilee. Later we see that Jesus’ inward reality transformed His outward reality when He calmed the sea. His shalom is completely independent of what was going on outside His body.
[Image: july_2010-pic3.jpg]
Don’t wait for outside circumstance to line up before you step out in faith to obey the Lord. It may never happen. The peace of Jesus… His Shalom… Prosperity, Health, Peace, Quiet, Completeness… all start from within and transform our outward reality.
Maybe God tells to you to trust Him for a bigger life, spiritually, mentally or physically. Maybe the Lord urges you to make more of the gift He has given you. Sure it is a risk, but Jesus has promised us…. His very own Shalom (Prosperity, Health, Safety, Peace) in whatever we face!
Don’t ever sell yourself short. In ourselves we are nothing, but we are not ourselves. As born again believers, we are dead to self, and alive to Christ Jesus. We are the righteousness of Christ! We are new creations! We are a royal priesthood! We are joint heirs with Christ! Not through our own effort or merit, but by grace!
Our past… present… future… is enveloped in His indescribable love!
No matter how bad our past, how bleak our present or hopeless our future, all things are possible with God! Don’t ever allow the ugly grip of condemnation or fear to touch your heart. It is a lie straight from hell.
Allow God’s super abundant grace to take you to new dimensions and realities you never dreamt possible! Those that doubt or even oppose you will be baffled. You will have no choice but to give glory to His unmerited favor! Nothing will be able to explain our success, but His grace!
Shalom!
Not shame to say I am still in the process of learning to understand more and better the Faith i have chosen as allowed by HIS GRACE.
How about giving the word "condescended"? Very obvious talking about the writer talking about Jesus Christ. Have a nice day!
Since Buddhism is under "Other" sub-forum, should this thread be there as well?
(26-09-2014, 04:55 PM)egghead Wrote: [ -> ]Since Buddhism is under "Other" sub-forum, should this thread be there as well?
Yes, good point.
The point accepted and thread moved. Thanks
Regards
Moderator
Continued from the TTJ post #299, for Christians who are more able to accept the whole text:
http://bit.ly/1mwZ1XI