Let’s start with this 1Corinthians 15:3-4 “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
These two verses sum the whole gospel. Jesus died on the cross and he rose from the dead on the third day according to the Word of God. If Jesus did not die there would be no remission for sin and every human being on the planet would be lost forever.
A long passage that beautifully defines the essence of revival. Ezekiel 37:1-14 “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath] to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
God’s understanding is beyond human comprehension. This is why He sent us the Holy Spirit to guide us in all truth and to enlighten our minds so we can understand the ways of God. His ways are so far above our ways and His thoughts are far above our thoughts as well. Isaiah 55:9 explains this well “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. Psalm 145:18 Jesus is not light years away but He is in our hearts if we know Him. He is so near we can feel his footsteps and feel His sweet breath, let us rest in His tender bosom. Jesus died for us on Calvary to be near us so He could fellowship with us forever.
Jesus gave His precious blood and He was beaten beyond recognition besides having his side pierced through by a sharp spear. How can we say that Jesus is not near us when He gave His very life so He could be near us.
God has always had witnesses throughout biblical history. You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. Isaiah 43:10
God has chosen us to share His message in the world. Sure he can leave witness of Himself in the earth and he has because His nature is seen throughout creation. But He has chosen to use human instruments to carry His message to the nations.
But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim.Romans 10:8
The message concerning faith that we preach. What other message would we preach but the message of faith? The faith message is what the ancients preached and what Jesus preached during his ministry on earth.
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;he delivers them from all their troubles. Psalm 34:17 If the righteous cry out God hears and He delivers them out of all their troubles. Yes, he delivers us out of all of our troubles. God is no respecter of persons so whoever calls out God will deliver them if they call believing that He will deliver them.
There are many instances in the bible where God’s children cried out to God and he delivered them. In many instances, in the Old Testament the children of Israel called out to God and he delivered them from major troubles throughout their ancient history.
We are so loved by Jesus Christ and God the Father. How? Reading the Bible we will find countless ways how God loves us and calls us beloved. Zephaniah 3:17 “He Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love, he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” If someone is singing over you they love you. But what about God singing over you?
Now faith is the ]substance of things hoped for, the [b]evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 But for the power of this word to be released or God’s power to be released in our lives this word must be meditated and spoken. Only by meditating and saying this verse will faith bring what you are believing for to come to pass now.
Joshua 1:8 reminds us “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Too many Christians think that what they ask for will come to manifest someday but God is a now God and He said in Hebrews 11:1 “that faith is the substance of things hoped for…”
He has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.2 Timothy 1:9
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23-24
Has not God lavishly bestowed His grace through Jesus Christ to us? 2 Timothy 1:9 tells us that before there was the universe, earth or man? God had already poured out His grace on us. What grace is this that before we ever took a breath or did anything God poured out His grace on us?
The bible clearly teaches that Jesus is full of grace, mercy, and truth an exact representation of God the Father. Jesus does not put sickness or bad circumstances on His children to teach them something. This goes directly against the very nature of God who gives us grace and mercy.
Hebrews 4:16 “Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Notice it says that we may come boldly to the throne of grace not the throne of pain. His throne is a throne of grace Jesus invites us to come to His throne of grace. To receive mercy and grace in the time of need from Jesus. We just have to ask for His grace to help us in our times of trouble.
Jesus is commanding us to ask not to work for His grace. He paid the price to make that grace available to us. This grace Jesus has is freely given to us for the asking. But we must ask and ask in boldness and with faith.
We need to be born again children of God to ask for this grace and expect it to come into our lives and when we ask for it. God in Jesus has promised to meet all of our needs by His grace.
If we track the ministry of Jesus when he lived on the earth we see that He was the most gracious man on the earth. He was always giving himself to those around Him in ministry, good works and healings.
He raised people from the dead, he restored withered hands, he gave money and He gave himself to people all the days of His ministry and He gave the ultimate gift His life.
His gift opened God’s endless grace to us who believe and confess that grace to be true. God calls those things that aren’t as though they are. He says He will pour out so much grace on us that we cannot contain it.
The grace of God was manifested ultimately for us in Jesus on the cross of Calvary. God is a giver and He loves to pour out His grace on His children. Jesus is the ultimate grace giver.
