NO CONDEMNATION IN JESUS CHRIST - A DEVOTIONAL BY JON WALKER

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2 NIV)

No matter what you’ve ever done, there is no condemnation in Christ. He sits at the Father’s right hand, not as an accuser, but as an advocate willing to give His life for you.

God began the work to bring you back into His presence long before you were born. God knows you can’t make the journey home on your own, so while you “were still helpless,” Christ died for you (Romans 5:6 HCSB).

Jesus offers mercy, not condemnation. He says, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13 NIV). His objective is to bring you back into intimacy with the Father, so He’s not interested in making you jump through hoops to prove yourself worthy or to earn back God’s love.

God’s word to you is this: “These things you offer to do and the promises you want to make in exchange for your forgiveness, they’re just offerings to help you get over your guilt. I’d rather give you forgiveness and grace as a gift; I desire mercy, not these sacrifices that make you grovel in hopes of winning back my love. You never lost My love!”

“My purpose is not to condemn you but to let my life run free within you as the Holy Spirit connects you directly to the Father” (Romans 8:1-2 NIV, author paraphrase).

“Besides, you can’t wash all the stains away. So, let Me do it for you. My blood will be the bleach to wash you white as snow, and My Spirit will begin to live directly in your heart.”

Now wrapped in Christ, we find no condemnation and we’re able to “approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 NIV).

When you feel condemnation coming at you like a furious flood, stand on Jesus Christ the Rock, who said, “I no longer condemn you. Go and sin no more” (John 8:11 NLT, with author paraphrase).

NOTE :

This devotional © Copyright 2012 Jon Walker. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

UNFOLDING THE ROSEBUD - GOD'S WILL FOR OUR LIVES (AUTHOR UNKNOWN)

A young, new preacher was walking with an older, more seasoned preacher in the garden one day and feeling a bit insecure about what God had for him to do, he was inquiring of the older preacher. The older preacher walked up to a rosebush and handed the young preacher a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals. 

The young preacher looked in disbelief at the older preacher and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the WILL OF GOD for his life and for his ministry. Because of his high respect for the older preacher, he proceeded to TRY to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal in tact...It wasn't long before he realized how it was impossible to do so. 

Noticing the younger preacher's inability to unfold the rosebud while keeping it in tact, the older preacher began to tell the following poem...

It is only a tiny rosebud,

A flower of God's design;

But I cannot unfold the petals

With these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers

Is not known to such as I.

GOD opens this flower so sweetly,

When in my hands they fade and die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud,

This flower of God's design,

Then how can I think I have wisdom

To unfold this life of mine?

So I'll trust in Him for His leading

Each moment of every day.

I will look to Him for His guidance

Each step of the pilgrim way.

The pathway that lies before me,

Only my heavenly Father knows.

I'll trust Him to unfold the moments,

Just as He unfolds the rose.

THE WALL - 1

THE STORY OF SOUL - AUTHOR UNKNOWN

There once was a man named Soul who was walking in a garden. He was whistling a real sweet tune for he was saved and had the joy of the Lord, but he was a baby Christian. As Soul was walking, a beautiful and seductive woman came out from behind a tree. Soul was very startled. He said, "Hello, I'm Soul, what is your name?" 

She replied, "I am Temptation, I have what you want." "What do I want?" replied Soul.

"You want to do all things which are of the flesh," said Temptation. Soul replied, "O.K., lead me."

So he and Temptation went off and fulfilled the desires of the flesh. When Soul returned to the garden, he met a man named Condemnation. Condemnation said, "Hey, I see you have met my friend, Temptation." Soul said, "Yes, who are you?"

"I am Condemnation, I come after Temptation. We work hand-in-hand." Then Condemnation jumped on Soul's back and began to beat him. He hit him in the face and kicked him when he was down. This went on for several days. 

On about the third day, a man named Mercy came running and said, "I command you, Condemnation, to stop beating Soul." Condemnation snickered, "Make me." 

So Mercy unsheathed his sword and cut Condemnation in two. As Soul watched in astonished pain, he was overtaken by the power of Mercy. Mercy walked up to Soul and said, "I have dealt with Condemnation before. He should not show up around you anymore."

Soul replied, "How can I ever thank you?" "Well," replied Mercy, "I was sent here by God and He told me to introduce you to a dear friend of mine. His name is Redemption."

Redemption walked up and said, "Hello Soul, I see that you are not doing well."Soul replied, "Not until Mercy came along. It is a pleasure to meet you Redemption." 

"Well", said Redemption," I am glad to meet you. Are you ready to accept me?" "What do you mean?" asked Soul.

Redemption said, "Well, when you accepted Jesus and decided to walk with Him, then you chose to accept the things of Him and His love. I am a part of Jesus' love. I help you feel forgiven. You will never have to deal with Condemnation again. Temptation may come around, but I have someone I would like for you to meet who can help you with that. His name is Grace." 

Grace walked up to Soul and said, "Hello Soul, I have been waiting for you. As a matter of fact all three of us have been waiting to meet you. I will help you take the way out of Temptation that God gives you as it comes up. The last person we want you to meet is Faith."

"Hi Soul, I am Faith, and I will help you stay strong and keep your beliefs strong," said Faith.

Soul began to cry. When he began to cry Redemption said, "This is what we were here for. Jesus redeemed you, saved you by Grace through Faith and gives you his Mercy. Jesus loves you Soul."

Soul said, "I love you, Jesus."

JESUS IS COMING SOON (SIGNS OF SECOND COMING - TRACT 1)

JESUS IS COMING SOON (SIGNS OF SECOND COMING - TRACT 2)

GHG - 3 (YOU ARE HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE)

I Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”

Even though as my father accepted Jesus Christ as His savior, He never surrendered his life to God completely. He lived a life as name sake Christian doing sins and hurting God.  Someone said like this: “God hate sins but not the sinners”. God never hated my dad but He loved him so much that He gave my father a Virtuous woman as his wife.

My mother was born in the year 1954 as an eldest child in a family which then had nine children. She never knew about Christ as she was born in a family which worshiped man made idols. As she became young she hated to worship idols and decided to live a holy life of her own. At that moment of her life she got married to my dad who was a converted Christian. Both got married in the year 1977. 

As she married a Christian, she also became a namesake Christian without knowing who Jesus Christ is. God begun to touch her life slowly and she completely stopped worshiping idols and started praying to Jesus Christ.  Soon in the year 1978 she gave birth to my eldest brother and in 1979 she gave birth to my elder brother and in the year 1984 I was born. 

From my childhood days I have seen the way my mom dedicated her life completely to Jesus Christ. As we were living in a environment surrounded by my relatives who earnestly worship idols, God decided to bring us away from our relatives. We moved so far from our relatives and started a fresh life in a new city.

God touched our lives in that particular city. He directed us to the churches in which His presence overflows and He begun to draw everyone of us closer to Him. My mom is the first person who earnestly dedicated her life completely to Jesus Christ. From that day to till date, I have seen her living a holy life before God.

Thereafter she had begun to spend more time with God. She has never seen any movies or any dramas or any kind of unwanted things. She decided to take up her cross and started following Jesus Christ. The best thing about my mother is she never compelled us to choose Jesus Christ but she patiently thought us about Him and prayed to Him for our lives.

There were times my dad was affected by deadly diseases and confronted with worldly enemies. At those times I have seen my mom crying to God alone and never ever she cried to any man for help. Whenever we faced any problems and trials, the only person she looked up to is God. She never spends time talking unnecessarily to anyone but had made Jesus Christ her lover and shared everything to Him alone.

Even today, your life might be filled with sorrow and pain. Learn to look to God alone. People will fail you but God will never fail you. He will wipe away your tears and fill you with His gladness.

It was by the grace of God we have got a mom like her and through her tearful prayers we were blessed so richly.

My mom’s patience and prayer touched the life of my father and He left all sins and begun to follow Jesus Christ so diligently. There was a time my dad got affected by a dangerous disease and everyone around him lost their hope but yet my mom went to Gods feet and fought with God literally in prayer.

Does God heard my mom’s prayer and healed my dad? Can God heal a dangerous disease even today?   

                                                                        ...................... To be continued in GHG - 4

THOUGHT - 11 (GOD WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE SITUATION)

I WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART SAYS JESUS CHRIST

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.”- Psalms 37:4

My dear young friend, you might have unfulfilled desires in your heart for a long time. You might have a desire that you long for so many days and yet it was not fulfilled.  You might have so many thoughts in your heart but you have not prayed to God about it. Today Jesus Christ is promising you that He will fulfill the desires of your heart.

Whatever be your desire, Jesus Christ will give you the desires of your heart for His glory. Your longing will come to an end says Holy Spirit. 

Exodus 3:7 And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.” 

God says that He knows the sorrows of the people of Israel and Bible records that God even heard their hearts groanings. 

Even today, God knows the sorrow that you have in your heart and He will wipe away all your tears by giving you the desires of your heart. You shall not lack anything.

Nearly seven years back I joined a Christian Institution for doing Masters (M.Tech) degree in Electronics engineering. Near to that institution, there was a prayer center where people usually come and pray for their needs. Worship services will be held daily in that prayer center. I had a great desire those times to preach God’s word to people who come over there. There was no opportunity for me and so I kept my desire within my heart. But I used to go there early in the morning when no one will be there inside that prayer center. At those times, I run to the pulpit and preach God’s word in that empty place thinking as if people are sitting there keenly listening to me. This continued for several months and I thought no one watched what I am doing. I didn’t even spoke about my desire to any one. 

Prayer Center I liked: Bethesda Prayer Center, Coimbatore,India.

Even though people didn’t watched me, God was watching me from Heaven and He understood the desire which I had deep down in my heart. Jesus Christ knows my desire and He fulfilled it. Within a year time, God opened an opportunity to share His word in one of the worship services which was held there. Now as I am working in that Christian Institution, twice in a month I am sharing God’s word in that same prayer center and from the same pulpit in which I stood years back when no one was around. I had never run to anyone to get my desires fulfilled. But Jesus Christ, who knows my inner desires, stretched out His hand and fulfilled my desire. 

My dear young friends, you also might have some desires in your heart that glorifies the name of Jesus Christ. Today God will open a way to you through which He will fulfill the desires of your heart. Do not get discouraged. Delight yourself in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart. God bless you.

I WILL BE YOUR FATHER SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY

II CORINTHIANS 6:18 “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.”

Are you crying that you have no one to take care of you? Are you feeling like an orphan today with no one around you to help you or understand you? Are you longing for God to provide blessing in your life and are you dejected because you have not received your heart’s desire yet?

My dear young friend, don’t get dejected. Today God promises you that He will be your Father. He will be there always with you and He will never leave you alone. 

Suicidal thoughts might arise in your mind now and then as you feel lonely and dejected. Devil wants to bring an end to your life but God promises you today that He will do new things in your life. 

Jesus Christ says in John 10:10 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

Jesus Christ came to this world and gave His life for you because He wants you to have a blessings filled life with peace and joy. He is your Father and He will carry you as a father carries a child. He will take care of your life and He will never leave you as orphan.

In a city named Chennai in India, there lived a God fearing family. The father of the family did a business with much prayer keeping Christ as the head of his family and business. He had a son and a daughter. The father used to help many servants of God and God’s work through the revenue of his business. God’s blessing was abundant in their life. While the elder son of that family is at his very young age, the father fell sick and soon he died. No one had expected that he will die so they were filled with so much of sorrow and fear. 

The elder son of that family got devastated and he know not what to do to take care of the family members. He remained in his room crying all the day very badly. Hearing his condition many servants of God came and prayed but nothing can comfort him as his sorrow was so great. As he thought about the uncertain future a great fear filled him as he has to take care of his sister also. Weeks passed by and he remained crying to God for help. 

One day as he was crying badly to God, he saw a glorious light filling his room and there appeared Jesus to him. Jesus Christ said to him, “My dear son, don’t cry. Today onwards, I will be your Father and I will never leave you as an orphan.” 

His heart filled with great peace and joy as he understood that he was not an orphan anymore and God is his Father. On that day God wiped away his tears and blessed his life. He began to succeed in the business through God’s grace and he took care of his mom and sister well and even today they are alive living a well settled blessing filled life for the glory of God.

You might also be thinking that you are an orphan since there is no one to care of you and no one to understand you. God is telling to you today: “My dear child, I have created you in My Image. You are not an orphan. I am your Father and I will carry you safe to the blessing filled life which I have in stored for you.”

My dear young friend, you are not an orphan for God is your Father. God bless you.