Skip to main content

be held

1 John 3:1
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not."

We are studying Receiving the Kingdom of GOD Like a Child. We have just read from Luke chapter eighteen, where people were bringing their babies to Jesus for a blessing. The Disciples were stopping them. Jesus uses this as a teaching moment, saying, "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein." We commonly think of this as innocence and a carefree attitude. But, look again at this scene. The babies are receiving Jesus's Grace. They are carried to Him by their parents. Some of them are not able to talk. Most are not able to understand what is happening or what the grown-ups are talking about. The blessings they are receiving are due to no effort or motivation from the children! This is a beautiful picture of GRACE!

Today, we will reinforce this teaching with a verse from First John, chapter three, "BEHOLD, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." John wrote these letters at the end of his life. He has vast experience and knows about GOD'S love in a way you and I do not understand. John knows about Receiving the Kingdom of GOD Like a Child. Don't breeze past the first word, BEHOLD. John is asking us to really think about, contemplate and understand GOD'S love. It's a love that takes time to minister to and care for children who don't know and don't understand what is happening! GOD'S love is different from the way the world loves. The world sees Christians as poor, humble, meek and despised. The world doesn't see that GOD looks upon His followers as His children. His favorite children.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

I will make you

Matthew 4:19&20 "19 And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him." In our "Follow Me" series, we study Jesus calling His disciples in the Gospel of Matthew. By the Sea of Galilee, a thriving fishing hub, Jesus saw Simon and Andrew casting nets as humble fishermen. His disciples were ordinary workers, not wealthy or educated elites. Jesus approached them and said, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Remarkably, they immediately left their jobs to follow Him. This brief exchange conveys a profound truth: Jesus says, "I will make you." Only God can transform us to accomplish His purpose. We should often pray, "Help me, God," seeking Jesus' guidance to follow His plan for our lives.

God’s patience

2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." God did not immediately punish King Solomon when he allowed his foreign wives to build altars for false gods. Despite multiple compromises, God remained patient. Over time, Solomon’s endorsement of idolatry defied God’s covenant, leading to divine judgment, including the loss of the kingdom for his son. Some mistake God’s patience for indifference or inaction, but He follows His plan in His timing. If our nation, culture, church, or we ourselves stray like Solomon, we can repent and return to God’s path. And, should do so sooner than later! Amen!

we also...

Romans 6:3&4 "3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." In our studies we are striving to understand God’s love and care. God's unconditional love for His followers, appreciating that we are part of GOD’S family! God is with us from cradle to grave. His divine presence is always giving us purpose and guidance. One of the most important milestones in the life of a Christian is baptism. When we are baptized, an indelible mark is made on our soul. This mark signifies a permanent transformation and dedication of the individual to God. The act of Baptism involves water and the invocation of the Holy Trinity. This ritual is seen as a symbolic washing away of original sin and a new birth into the life of Christ. Baptism is a foundational s...