2020 for JESUS - Day 46: JESUS is PATIENT...

Yesterday was a day that many celebrate love... 

a day called Valentine's Day.

From today, until the end of February, 

please join me in taking 

The LOVE Challenge - GOD's WAY!

The Bible shares the definition of GOD's AGAPE LOVE in 1 Corinthians 13.

Throughout the Bible, the illustration of this AGAPE LOVE is JESUS.

So, each day from February 15-29, 

let's plan to take a principle of AGAPE LOVE

and then look at something from JESUS' life, 
here on earth, that illustrates it.   

LOVE is patient!

JESUS is patient!

You've probably heard it said, "Timing is everything!"  JESUS knew that patience required HIS FATHER'S leading for the right timing.  In John 7:1-9, JESUS' brothers are pushing HIM to do something HE knows is not the right timing. 

Yet, JESUS' LOVE for GOD and LOVE for others kept HIM PATIENT! JESUS exemplified PATIENCE!

1-  "...JESUS walked in Galilee.  HE would not walk in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill HIM.

2-  Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.

3- HIS brothers said to HIM, "Depart from here and go into Judea, that YOUR disciples also may see the works that YOU do.

4-  For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly.  If YOU do these things, reveal YOURSELF to the world.  

5-  For even HIS brothers did not believe in HIM.

6-  Therefore, JESUS told them, "MY time has not yet come, but your time is always fitting.

7-  The world cannot hate you.  But it hates ME, because I testify concerning it, that its works are evil.

8-  You go up to this feast.  I am not going up to this feast yet, because MY time has not yet fully come.

9-  Having said these things to them, HE remained in Galilee."

LOVE Challenge-Day 1:

GOD's LOVE through me for _________is patient...

2020 for JESUS - Day 45: JESUS CHRIST, WHO is YOUR LIFE is LOVE...

2020 - Day 45 - I have a lot on my mind on this "Valentine's Day":

• As many people celebrate "love" today, I desire for the world to know that JESUS is LOVE... HE is the answer to our yearnings for LOVE.
• I cherish and celebrate the blessings of our daughter, Jessica, who went to her eternal home 5 years ago, on Valentine's Day.
• I cherish and celebrate the blessings of my hubby, 3 children, and their families who remain here on this earth.
• I cherish and celebrate the blessings of my parents, who loved and lived deeply.  Amazingly, we have arrived today at Colossians 3, which was my mom's favorite scripture.  I quote it each morning before heading into my day.  

We will stop here, in Colossians, for the rest of  February, as we begin "The Love Challenge" tomorrow!


Colossians 3:1-4

1-  "Since, then, you have been raised with CHRIST, set your hearts on things above, where CHRIST is, seated at the right hand of GOD.  

2-  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

3-  For you died, and your life is now hidden with CHRIST in GOD.  

4- When CHRIST, WHO is your life, appears, then you also will appear with HIM in glory." 

2020 for JESUS - Day 44: JESUS is THE HEAD of the body (HIS body = the church)...

Colossians 2:16-23

16-   "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration, or a Sabbath Day.

17-    These are a shadow of things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in CHRIST.

18-  Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you.  Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind.

19-  They have lost connection with THE HEAD, from WHOM the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as GOD causes it to grow. 

20-   Since you died with CHRIST to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules:

21-  'Do not handle!  Do not taste!  Do not touch!'

22-   These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.  

23- Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." 

2020 for JESUS - Day 43: JESUS is LIFE... FORGIVENESS... VICTORY...

In our reading today, I see JESUS as the following:

• LIFE:  "GOD made you alive with CHRIST!"
• FORGIVENESS: "HE forgave us all our sins!"
• VICTORY: "...canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness... HE has taken it away, nailing it to the cross... having disarmed the powers and authorities... triumphing over them by the cross."

Colossians 2:13-15

13- "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, GOD made you alive with CHRIST.  HE forgave us all our sins, 

14- having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; HE has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.

15-  And having disarmed the powers and authorities, HE made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."

2020 for JESUS - Day 42: JESUS is ALL THE FULLNESS OF THE DEITY... HEAD OVER EVERY POWER AND AUTHORITY...

A lot to consider in Colossians 2:6-12 about living our lives in HIM, in addition to the names/descriptions of JESUS:

• rooted and built up in HIM
• strengthened in THE FAITH
• overflowing with thankfulness
• remaining captives of CHRIST
• making sure we were buried with HIM in baptism - (not "praying JESUS into our hearts" or sprinkled as a baby)

Colossians 2:6-12

6 - "So then, just as you received CHRIST JESUS as LORD, continue to live your lives in HIM,

7-  rooted and built up in HIM, strengthened in THE FAITH as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

8- See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on CHRIST.  

9-  For IN CHRIST ALL THE FULLNESS OF THE DEITY lives in bodily form,

10- and in CHRIST you have been brought to fullness.  HE is the HEAD OVER EVERY POWER AND AUTHORITY.

11-  in HIM you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands.  Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by CHRIST,

12- having been buried with HIM in baptism, in which you were also raised with HIM through your faith in the working of GOD, WHO raised HIM

2020 for JESUS - Day 41: JESUS is LOVE... COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING...

We took a break from Colossians the last two days, but want to return today as Paul continues to share JESUS in the 2nd chapter.  His references to the names and descriptions of JESUS are so encouraging:

Colossians 2:1-5

1-  "I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.  

2-  My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in LOVE, so that they may have the full riches of COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING, in order that they may know the MYSTERY OF GOD, namely CHRIST, 

3-  in WHOM are hidden ALL THE TREASURES OF WISDOM  AND KNOWLEDGE.

4-  I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.

5- For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in CHRIST is."

2020 for JESUS - Day 40: JESUS is FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT... SON OF GOD... LORD YOUR GOD...

Today is Day 40, on this blog - 2020 for JESUS!

As of today, we've referenced 109 Names and Descriptions of JESUS that can be seen listed over on the right column. 

There are many references to the number 40, in the Bible, including the 40 days that JESUS fasted in the wilderness and was tempted by the devil.

Luke 4:1-13

1- "JESUS, FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, left the Jordan and was led by the SPIRIT into the wilderness,

2- where for 40 days HE was tempted by the devil.  HE ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them HE was hungry.

3- The devil said to HIM, 'If YOU are the SON OF GOD, tell this stone to become bread.'

4- JESUS answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone.'

5- The devil led HIM up to a high place and showed HIM in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.

6- And he said to HIM, 'I will give YOU all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.

7- If YOU worship me, it will all be YOURS.'

8- JESUS answered, 'It is written: 'Worship the LORD your GOD and serve HIM only.'"

9- The devil led HIM to Jerusalem and had HIM stand on the highest point of the temple.  'If YOU are the SON OF GOD,' he said; 'throw YOURSELF down from here.'

10- For it is written: 'HE will command HIS angels concerning you to guard you carefully;

11- they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'

12- JESUS answered, 'It is said, 'Do not put the LORD your GOD to the test.'"

13- When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left HIM until an opportune time."