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This was posted by a member of another forem I belong to and is such a great testimony, I must share it with any who will read it.
Post subject: My HOPE, My STRENGTH, And Why I Do Not Fear The FuturePosted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 6:08 pm
Mutha, Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 8:45 pm
Posts: 195 My HOPE, My STRENGTH, and Why I Do Not Fear The Future
The gods of many false religions fight amongst themselves, or take delight in putting fear and terror in humanity and subjecting humanity to slavery and ridicule. Jesus Christ, on the other hand, came to this world in the form of a poor servant. Born in the feeding trough of a barn, He was totally adverse to grandeur and self-exaltation. He led His followers by becoming the ultimate SERVANT. He knelt down to wash the dust off the feet of His disciples, because they were too proud to humble themselves. He taught that "the MEEK will inherit the earth"; and that "he that exalts himself shall be humbled, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted". Matt. 5:5, Matt. 23:12
While the gods of other religions require you to work, and suffer, and to appease them, Jesus merely asks you to hold His hand and trust Him. While others took, He gave. While others hated, He loved. While others threatened with the power of death, He came to give life and hope. He came that He may give His life FOR us.
He became just like we were, a human with all of our weaknesses. He took His stand with us, and was not ashamed to call us His brethern. Most of His life He was hungry and homeless, never knowing where He would lay His head. He was not a handsome man. He did this so that people would not be attracted to Him for His looks. Many, of the mobs of people who followed Him, were attracted to Him because of what He could DO...the miracles he performed. When they realized he was not going to throw off the power of Rome over them, they turned on Him and sought to kill Him.
His whole life He was subjected to humiliation because of His illegitimate birth, for He was a bastard child.
He had a gentle heart. A bruised reed He would not break. Isaiah 42:3, Matthew 12:14-21
He was touched with the feeling of ALL of our infirmities. He sympathizes with our weaknesses and our failures. Hebrews 4:15
He cried at the death of Lazarus. He empathizes with us in our pain and loss.
He is not ashamed to call us His brothers. He became human...God WITH us...as well as one OF us!
He suffered and died while we hated Him, spit on Him, and mocked Him. All for us, because He loved us.
While we were yet sinners and estranged from Him, He loved us enough to die for us. Romans 5:8
His death was a gift for ALL of us...even for those who ultimately refuse to accept it.
As they were stripping Him naked, and preparing to crucify Him,"Father FORGIVE them, for they know not what they do", were the words that poured out from His giant heart... full of only LOVE!
He was a King without a territory.
A God who refused to use His power to exalt Himself, or even to save His life.
A Priest who was the sacrifice.
The LAMB that was slain, so that His blood could cleanse us from every sin.
Our advocate...our defense attorney, who UNDERSTANDS our every weakness and temptation. 1 John 2:1, Heb. 4:15
Our judge... who offers mercy and forgiveness, not condemnation. John 8:11, James 5:11
He turned upside down every notion the world has about power, and leadership, and self-worth.
This truly was a different God, a remarkable God, a magnificent God. A COMPASSIONATE and MERCIFUL God! Isaiah 55:6,7
He can empathize with the worst of our feelings and deprivation, because He was a poor bastard child, born in a barn, in a feeding trough among the smelly animals. He grew up in the worst part of town, on the wrong side of the tracks. Not at all handsome or priveledged, He CHOSE to be homeless, penniless, ridiculed, harassed, familiar with hunger and fatigue.
His own brothers called Him crazy. Just before His death He was abandoned by the world, betrayed for money by one of His closest friends. The rest of whom either swore they didn't know Him, or deserted Him and ran away in fear.
Finally, He was abandoned by God the Father, Himself...as He WILLINGLY took the weight of the guilt for the sins of the entire world upon Himself, and it crushed the life out of Him. Matt. 27:46, Isaiah 53:6, John 10: 17,18
Subjected to torture, mockery, being spit upon, beaten, and cursed, He refused to use His divine power to fight back or even to verbally defend Himself!
The Creator of the universe, He willingly submitted Himself to endure the mockery of a trial in which there were no legitimate charges against Him, being scourged TWICE by cruel Roman soldiers, and being crucified among common criminals. He chose to die the most humiliating, most cruel and painful death that demon-inspired men could inflict upon Him....all the while, PRAYING for them! "He was wounded for OUR transgressions, He was bruised for OUR iniquities: the chastisement of OUR peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are HEALED". Isaiah 53: 5
Do you think for one minute He does not understand the worst of your feelings, your pain, your suffering?
Or the suffering of the least of His children? Oh, He most certainally DOES! PRAISE GOD!
He most MOST CERTAINALLY does!
He sees our every trial, He knows our every heartache, and He hears our every prayer!
He is the one and only God who came down to be with His people.
He shared in our pain... and He died that we might LIVE.
NOWHERE will you find a God like Him! He is our Creator and our rightful KING, who deserves our praise and worship; and yet He also is our shepherd who holds us to His breast, like a gentle SHEPHERD who lovingly cradles his tiniest, weakest lamb. Psalm 23, John 10:1-18
He is the shepherd who GAVE HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP!
John 10 (King James Version)
1) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2) But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3) To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4) And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5) And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
6) This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
7) Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9) I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10) The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11) I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12) But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13) The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14) I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
15) As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16) And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
17) Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18) No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
He loves us! He DIED for us, and he is COMING BACK for us...if we will but give our hearts to Him. John 14: 1-3
THIS is the message the world needs! THIS is our HOPE....our REFUGE and our STRENGTH... in a time of impending storm. Psalm 46: 1-3
THIS is why we need not fear...for He will NEVER leave or forsake His children who put their TRUST in Him! Hebrews 13:5
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PEACE I leave with you.
Let not your heart be TROUBLED, neither let it be AFRAID.
Jn 14:27
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