Jesus, the Master of ALL LIFE

Imagine, if you will, a LOVE SO BIG that it existed before the foundations of the world were laid and transcends all time and space. We are talking about the BIG LOVE of God, our Heavenly Father, the LOVE and POWER that breathed ALL LIFE into existence, spoke galaxies into being, and formed each star in the heavens. And yet, this same BIG LOVE stooped down from the heights of glory to dwell among us in the person of Jesus Chris. By Grace, we have all received SALVATION by FAITH.

"And we know that GOD CAUSES ALL THINGS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD to THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, to THOSE WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.. For those whom HE FORENEW, He also PREDESTINED to become CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also WITH HIM freely give us all things? Romans 8:28-32

In Jesus, we behold the very embodiment of God's BIG LOVE, the perfect expression of His heart towards humanity.

"He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him." Colossians 1:16-17

Jesus, the King of Righteousness, came not to condemn the world but to reconcile it to God, to make everything RIGHT through His sacrificial death on the cross and resurrection from the dead.

"And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation," Hebrews 5:9

Jesus is the source of ALL LIFE, the one through whom all things were created and in whom all things hold together.

"For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 5:17-21

Called to Reign With King Jesus

We are commanded to reign with Jesus, the Master of ALL LIFE. Jesus created all life, and all life was created by Him and through Him and for Him.

"yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him." 1 Corinthians 8:6

He gave us HIS LIFE and wants us to SHARE IT WITH THE WORLD. We are even called to love our enemies.

"For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him." Colossians 1:16

Jesus is the Master and SOURCE of all LIFE. ONE LIFE–ONE SOURCE of LIFE. We are commanded to love/serve/focus on Jesus alone, as our ONE SOURCE of LIFE and SALVATION.

"and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—" Colossians 3:10

Jesus is the KING of RIGHTEOUSNESS. Righteousness means He is the one who makes everything RIGHT. As the King of Righteousness, we are to surrender everything wrong in our life to HIM who makes everything RIGHT–Jesus is the only one who can.

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Jesus is our only Master, Savior, Shepherd, and High Priest, and we are His Body and Bride. Jesus has only ONE will, purpose, motive, intent, and truth–to do the will of the Father and bring Glory to His name.

"For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15

Trouble, Trials, Tribulations, and Jesus' Call to Love Our Enemies

Jesus has commanded us to stop avoiding trouble. Guard our hearts, yes, but we are to stop avoiding trouble. Trials, tribulations, and afflictions will ALWAYS be used to promote spiritual formation.

"We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love." 1 John 4:18

Jesus left Heaven and came to Earth to wade directly into our troubles SO THAT HE CAN RESCUE US. He’s not afraid of OUR TROUBLES, and neither should you or I.

"For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son," Colossians 1:13

Jesus came and waded into the depths of our troubles to set us free.

"Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16

Jesus and His commands are counterintuitive. Jesus commands us to LOVE OUR ENEMIES (that sounds like trouble to me!). Jesus commands us to love, serve, feed, and cloth our enemies including those who steal from us and say all kinds of nasty things to us and about us.

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.... But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." Luke 6:27-28, 35-36

The truth is, that Jesus took on all the trouble of the troubled, including all our troubles, yours and mine. In exchange for ALL OUR TROUBLES, Jesus is offering us HIS FULL MEASURE OF GRACE.

Jesus set us free from the petty squabbles and the selfish tyrannies we place in between each other. Why do you hold on to them? Pride, ego, having to be right? Instead, ask for Jesus’ humility. Confess your stubborn prideful ego (sin and weakness of your flesh) and give it all to Jesus to make them right.

"for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." Philippians 2:13

Embracing Jesus' Call to Humility and Confession

Jesus is ONE LORD, ONE TRUTH, and the ONLY WAY to the Father and His Spirit of Unity. Unity happens when we all focus on Jesus and align ourselves with Him as He is ONE LORD, the only TRUTH, and our only WAY to the Father.

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.” Galatians 2:20-21

Jesus commands us to Humble ourselves and confess our sins and weaknesses so that Jesus can exchange them for HIS GRACE. By Grace, the King of Righteousness will take all of our sins, failures, and shortcomings and make everything we confess, RIGHT.

”Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.“ Matthew 5:16

Jesus will take our weaknesses and exchange them for His strength, might, and power.

"And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me." 2 Corinthians 12:9

We are called to DENY OURSELVES, lay down our dominion and rights, and surrender everything to our Majesty, King Jesus, who is faithful to forgive us and to empower us to be obedient to His commands.

"And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it." Mark 8:34-35

By Grace, we are invited to enjoy Jesus’ Mercy.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." Matthew 5:7

By Grace, we are invited to die to self-importance, self-confidence, and self-assurance. By Grace, we are empowered to die to self, pick up our cross, and follow Jesus.

"For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust." 2 Peter 1:4

Walking in Jesus' Faithfulness

ONE FAITH, ONE SPIRIT, ONE BODY, and ONE UNITY of THE FAITH–Jesus' faith. Jesus is the author and finisher of THE FAITH, the ONE and ONLY faithful one.

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:4-6

Our words are LIFE and DEATH. Our words are very important. Our words edify or destroy, spread Grace or cause death. We are commanded by Jesus to speak on the Word of Faith. It is impossible to please the Father without Faith.

"and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—" Colossians 3:10

Everything we do, we are commanded to do for the Glory of God. Everything we do, coming, going, or staying, we do for the Glory of God alone.

"and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith," Philippians 3:9

Because of Jesus’ FAITHFULNESS, there is only ONE BODY, THE Body of Christ, and we are individual members of His BODY, by Grace.

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 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, 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." Romans 8:1-4

Grace is like the mitochondria of the human cell, as Grace provides LIFE and nourishes the Body. Cancer cells are rebellious and defiant, providing DEATH. Cancer cells are removed and destroyed by Grace.

"so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God." 1 Corinthians 2:5

Surrendering Weakness for Strength

In God’s Kingdom God’s Grace HELPS THE WEAK who openly confess their weaknesses.

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:1-2

We are commanded to humble ourselves, confess, and turn over our weaknesses, failures, flaws, and sins in EXCHANGE for Jesus' full life of Grace and Truth.

Grace provides wisdom, strength, courage, patience, discernment, generosity, insight, perseverance, creativity, talents, favor, giftings, love, and so much more.

"After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." 1 Peter 5:10

Jesus is the ONE LOVE, the only way to the Father, provided by Grace–a free gift of His eternal love.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7

Leaders are supposed to LAY DOWN THEIR LIVES and follow Jesus.

"being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek." Hebrews 5:10

Jesus gave everything of Himself. If you are not willing to surrender everything, including your right to be right, you are not a leader.

"Sitting down, He called the twelve and *said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 9:35

The first will be last and the last will be first.

"So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?" John 13:12

Find UNITY in THE Faith

As examples following Jesus, we are to seek the UNITY of the ONE SPIRIT, the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit. We are commanded to deny ourselves and join the ONE FAITH, the one source of all life, God’s Grace, and teach others to do the same through our example.

"until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ." Ephesians 4:13

It is perfectly okay for each believer to have his or her preferences, likes, and dislikes. However, we must connect to THE ONE FAITH.

"And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

Different preferences, ONE FAITH. Different likes and dislikes and appreciations, but only ONE LORD.

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men," Titus 2:11

Unity of FAITH happens when everything we do is for the GLORY OF GOD.

"Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

New Wineskins - Time for Repentance and Surrender to Grace

Jesus is our only LEADER, and we are to lay down our own ways and to FOLLOW HIM by Grace.

"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men." Luke 6:35

As SERVANT LEADERS we deny ourselves and instead, prefer one another. Instead of serving ourselves, we are to humble ourselves and lift one another up in preference over self.

"Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Instead of seeking to comfort ourselves, we seek to comfort one another by Grace.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

We are commanded to come together, to assemble, and to love one another and share the goodness God has given to each one in the secret place for the edification of the entire body.

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;" Romans 12:10

We are commanded to come together with a word, a psalm, and a song and to share in celebration.

"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, And I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, And they shall be My people. And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’For all will know Me, From the least to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 8:10-12

We are called to go to our High Priest who is on the Throne of Grace to give mercy and help in our time of need.

"Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man." Hebrews 8:1-2

We are all to share freely what God has given us, what He has shared with us--for this is the purpose of gathering together as a church.

"For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ." John 1:16-17

There are cancer cells within the church, and cancer is being removed and will continue to be removed.

"Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 2:38

As long as Jesus is the head of the Church, He will remove the false teachers and human wisdom.

"For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body." Ephesians 5:23

Jesus, being the Head of the Church, is seated in Heaven at the right hand of God the Father with all power and authority to act.

"He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything." Colossians 1:18

Jesus is the author and finisher of FAITH, all FAITH. Know that Jesus will save His Church, His Bride from all the false teachers (centralized church).

"so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 5:21

Grace will reign, not death.

"No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.” Mark 2:22

We, the individual members of Jesus' church have been given the Grace to repent.

"Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all." Colossians 3:5-11

The centralized church is coming to an end. Like the old self, the old wineskins, the centralized carnal consumer church is being transformed into the NEW SELF, the NEW WINESKINS. 

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all." 2 Corinthians 13:14

RECEIVE GOD and HIS BIG LOVE!

GOD and His BIG LOVE that comes to us through Jesus Christ, our Savior, who is making everything RIGHT, who has made everything right.

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

THE message of the HOUR! We need to RECEIVE A BIGGER GOD! We have a BIG GOD who has a BIG LOVE! God is BIG LOVE, and we need it because, without God’s love, we have no LOVE.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Ephesians 2:4-10

Our Father’s loving-kindness leads to repentance… we need to know HIS BIG LOVE or miss the TRUTH. REPENTANCE is to rethink our thinking about our God, about HOW BIG HE IS! Our FAITH MUST BE IN GOD WHO IS THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS.

"Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" Romans 2:4

The Magnitude of God's Love RECEIVED Through Repentance

God is the Creator of everything, as He created everything through HIS SON. We are made in His image, the image of CREATORS. In and of ourselves, we can’t create anything that will stand the test of time. However, for those who co-build with Jesus, building upon Jesus as the foundation, nothing is impossible. God Created LOVE and He has promised to transform us into His image of LOVE.

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:14-21

God is OMNIPOTENT, ALMIGHTY, and SOVEREIGN—we are not. God, in His almighty BIG LOVE, as a free gift of His Grace has made everything RIGHT. Receive it and enjoy it, bringing Glory to God as you shine.

"This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." 1 John 5:14

As we confess our sins and weaknesses and surrender everything to the King of Righteousness, the King of Peace, the author and finisher of all faith, He is faithful to SAVE us and make everything Righteous.

"fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

Radiating the Glory of King Jesus

King Jesus, He promises, by Grace, to make everything in our life RIGHT to destroy the works of darkness and GLORIFY our Father in Heaven. Let your LIGHT SHINE!

"In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you." John 16:23

As we gaze upon the cross, we witness the pinnacle of God's love, a love so radical and selfless that it was willing to endure the agony of crucifixion for the sake of sinful humanity. Jesus took upon Himself the weight of our sins, bearing our shame and guilt so that we might be set free. He waded into the depths of our troubles, not to condemn us, but to rescue us and bring us into the light of His grace.

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Ephesians 2:4-10

Through Jesus, we see the true nature of God's love – a love that knows no bounds, a love that seeks out the lost and broken, a love that offers forgiveness and redemption to all who would receive it. His grace is our lifeline, our source of strength and hope amid life's trials and tribulations.

"But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul." Hebrews 10:39

Let us not shrink back from this incredible love, but rather let us embrace it with open arms and grateful hearts. For in Jesus Christ, we find not only the Master of ALL LIFE but also the Savior of our souls, the one who has made everything RIGHT through His love and grace.

May we never cease to marvel at the magnitude of God's BIG LOVE revealed in Jesus and His Church, His Body, and may you live as a testimony to His endless Grace and Mercy and watch HIM illuminate every corner of your life with righteousness. Let Jesus make everything RIGHT.