Tag: John 3:16

God Talk with Kids #2

Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me”? Jeremiah 32:17,27.

When you are young, you’re always learning and growing. We should always keep learning and growing even if we’re 90 years old!

Do you like to draw and put things together?

Do you like to ride a bike? Learning is an adventure.

And what about books and learning to read?

We love books. They take us to other places.

Can dogs sit and read with you or join you in your Lego or train play?

No way. They’re animals. They can’t learn to read.

In the Bible, the first Book is called Genesis, we can read that “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

God is all-powerful. He’s all-knowing. He’s Everywhere at one time. “My God is So big, so strong, and so mighty, there’s nothing our God cannot do, for you.” This is true. Do you know this?

We learn this from our Bibles. It is truly Good News for all who will believe.

God created animals and man on the 6th day. But Adam, (the first man) and Eve, (the first woman), the Bible tells us were created

In His own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them Genesis 1:27.

The image of God? What makes us different than the animals? As we already mentioned, we can build with Legos or read a book. We know that animals can’t join us in these things, except to get in the middle of it all and make a mess of it all.

We have eyes that can see, but we know an eagle can see much better than people. How about our noses? We love to smell pizza or homemade bread, but dogs can smell amazingly better than people.

What about our hearing? Well, it is found that the moth hears best of all created creatures, as well as the elephant. This makes sense because Elephants have huge ears, but moths? Yes, they hear the sound best of all the creatures.

But think about the human hand. Think of all the things you can do with your hands. Talk about them for a bit.

When we think of amazing hands, the Bible is a huge Book that reveals the greatest of hands, unlike any other. God’s hands. And God let us see His hands, even though we can’t see God,

God gave His only Son to us. He came from heaven to earth to show us God’s ways, to walk the earth with us. Do you know who I’m talking about?

Yes, Jesus came to earth to heal and to touch hurting people, but most importantly,

Jesus came to willingly pay a debt we owed. Do we owe a debt?

Yes, on the first 2 pages of the Bible, we learn the glorious beginnings of the creation of everything including Adam and Eve, (Genesis 1 & 2).

And God created all the beautiful plants for the animals and Adam and Eve to eat. In fact, they could eat from every tree in the garden,

except one. Or they would die. All the fruit is good for food, except the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. You can read it in the Bible:

But the LORD God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die Genesis 2:16-17.

But Eve was right there by the One Tree.

And who else was there? A serpent.

He asked Eve, “Did God really say you can’t eat from this tree?

Yes, God did say. But Eve didn’t know God’s Word well, and she was tricked by the serpent and she ate the forbidden fruit. And then, Adam outright disobeyed what God had told him and he ate too. (Read Genesis 3 for this complete story).

Then Adam and Eve realized, they were naked and they were ashamed. They never were ashamed before. They didn’t know they were naked. But now they do. And they hid from God.

Who told you that you were naked?” the LORD God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat? Genesis 3:11.

Adam and Eve had covered themselves in some itchy leaves.

But God covered them. With the skins of an innocent animal, He covered their nakedness.

Right here in Genesis, the first Book of the Bible, God’s Word, we see a picture of Jesus and how He paid a debt and “covered” our sin. He is the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” How do we know?

The Bible tells us so: John the Baptist in the New Testament, when he saw Jesus coming, said, Behold the Lamb of God!

Yes, He is more than a covering for the disobedience, shame, and guilt we all have. He paid our “Sin debt” in full.

Jesus willingly gave His life. He stretched out His hands for you and me. For everyone who will believe in Him, (an invitation to every person on this planet) will receive from the glorious hands of God, Eternal life. Life now and forevermore.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life..

For God did not send His Son into the world the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through Him John 3:16 & 17.

Jesus is the Lamb of God who died in our place. He is God the Son. He didn’t stay dead. He rose again on the third day. This is the good news. There’s so much to learn in our Bibles.

Now we can better understand verse 2 of Jesus Loves Me:

Jesus loves me, He who died. Heaven’s gate to open wide. He will wash away my sin. Let His little child come in. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so.

Faith is believing. Believing God.

If you don’t have faith, ask God to give you a willing heart to receive His invitation of love and grace.

Also found on Toni & Kids Sing Bible Youtube.

I hope you know even better how Jesus really, truly loves you, especially you.

Can We Simply Let 9/11 Pass By?

As on 9/11—We are in a war. Can we not see the urgency?

Can we simply let 9/11 pass by? And live life back to normal?

We are not “back to normal” today. We must open our eyes and acknowledge, we are in a war. Do we need more evidence of heat, flame, and fires in families, public schools, city streets, and lands?

I share my 9/11 hero story.

Alfred J. Braca went to work on September 11, 2001, in the North Tower of the World Trade Center, on the 100th floor, as any other workday.

I knew Al Braca, from our church in New Jersey. Our sons enjoyed Boy Scouts together back then.

His life stirs in me the courage to make a difference this day. With all the confusion about what love is, Al Braca exemplified true love on the dreadful day of 9/11.

Do I, you, have the courage to love as he did?

A dedicated dad, husband, granddaddy, and loyal bond trader at Cantor Fitzgerald, Al set out to live a “Godly lifestyle” as a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. He turned down invites to go out for drinks and carousing and often shared how Jesus changed his life. Consistently, a target of jeers by his colleagues, they referred to him as the “Rev.”

Aware of the marriage troubles, affairs, addictions, brokenness, and pain in his colleagues’ lives, Al often prayed with his wife, Jeanie, that they would come to faith in Jesus.

This day, in a moment, at 8:46 a.m., great confusion exploded all around them as a Boeing 767 flew into the building between floors 93-99.

No warning. Just bang!

Everyone ran to the windows to see what happened. Fire, smoke, chaos, confusion.

Heat rose from below them.

No information. No exit. Then, another explosion. The second tower was hit and caught fire. No one understood what happened.

Men and women on those upper floors discovered there was no way down. Desperation. Fear. Panic ensued.

The story is told, Al went up to one of the big conference rooms on the 104th top floor and told everyone to come to the room.

“I’m going to heaven. Who’s going with me?”

Approximately fifty of his co-workers came into the conference room.

Al wasn’t worried about offending anyone. He had hope.

Al stood up on a conference table and gave them the invitation for life—eternal life.

He was going to heaven. Al shared the Way with those who knew no way.

Al laid it all out as he stood on the table. They had to know. Without receiving Jesus in their lives, there was no hope for heaven. Only death and an eternity separated from God.

 Perhaps he shared,

 For God so loves you, He gave His Son Jesus to die that you might live.

He suffered and bled on the cross to cleanse all your sins.

Believe in Him right now. Accept Jesus in your life and you will be saved.” (John 3:16, John 6:35.)

Al was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. He knew it was the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes (Acts 16:31).

There wasn’t time to trust in bank accounts, jobs—nothing.

Al shared Jesus. He knew He was their only hope.

He loved them enough to give them the truth.

“Who wants to receive Jesus and live?” he probably asked. We don’t know his exact words, but we know he prayed for them, right then.

How do we know?

Many of the men and women that met in that conference room that morning, made phone calls to their families.

They said, “Goodbye, I love you,” but they also said, “I will see you again. I just received Jesus. The “Rev” prayed with me to receive Jesus in my life.”

Others said, “Al stood on the conference table and told us how to be saved. I’m going to heaven. I have Jesus now. I’ll be waiting for you there. I love you. ”

These were Al’s comrades. They made fun of him in the past, but no one was jeering now.  He gave them an invitation to receive the Lord and He had prayed for them.

Al laid out the truth. The only way to heaven. Jesus. They received the invitation and were saved from death. They had eternal life.

Maybe Al comforted himself and the others in those desperate moments with scriptures he had hidden in his heart:

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you (John 14:1,2). Fear not; for I am with you, (Isaiah 41:10).

 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).

Al Braca lives today in my life. I hope in yours as well. He didn’t want his colleagues to be separated from God for all eternity.

He had faith and courage to witness to them. The Holy Spirit moved him to tell the people the truth about Jesus, so they might receive His amazing grace, forgiveness, love, and eternal life.

Thank you Alfred J. Braca.

At the World Trade Center Memorial, look for this name: Alfred J. Braca.

Take notice of the names surrounding his name. These were his colleagues. Many joined him on that day to go to heaven.

Tragedy came unexpected: “I’m Going to Heaven. Who’s Going with Me?”

 Will we live our day, ready to love others into the kingdom of heaven?

People in this day need hope. They need truth. They need to know the way.

There is no time for debate. Time is short. Will we tell others what Jesus said:

 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6) —before it’s too late?

-tonirypkema.com

(To read Jean Braca’s story, look for Christmas Beeler’s book, Beauty from Ashes. Walking in New Life with God After Loss. The Journey of 9/11 Widow Jean Braca.)

Picture: Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Magazine. (Leading Souls to Christ as the Towers Burned.)

No Smiles? Let a Child Teach

To give thanks can be hard. Especially during times of loss or pain.

Children are a gift. They are our teachers. I share a lesson from  a little child.

I heard about a very young boy who never knew his dad. His mom got very ill and died.

Relatives and friends expressed sadness around the boy.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months where the boy felt bad because everyone around him had unhappy faces.

He was sick of being sad and decided to do something about it. “People are happy when they get presents,” he thought, “I need to give presents.”

At first, he found things around the house and handed them to his relatives and neighbors saying, “This is a gift for you.”

The boy was changed, forgot his sadness and began to see smiles again.

The young boy asked if he could go to the dollar store to buy things he might give away to people.

“This gift is for you,” he would say to strangers in the park and hand them a little treasure. Smiles and thankfulness he received which made him very happy. Everyone he met was filled with thankfulness as they received his gift.

God holds out a gift, in this present, sad and dark day.

Our Father in heaven, Almighty God gave to whoever would receive:

 For God so loved the world that he gave . . .

his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Can we hear Him with our eyes and hearts? Can we see His hands spread wide, “This gift is for you.”

Are we critical of the gift? Are we wise in our own eyes?

It’s time to learn from the children:

Jesus said: Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me Matthew 18:1-5.

Children. Believe. God.

We suffer loss, stress, pain. Today, . . . can we see the gift that the Lord holds out to us? His Word is Living.  Comfort. Life. Hope. Peace.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!”
For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper
And from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His pinions,
And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.
You will not be afraid of the terror by night,
Or of the arrow that flies by day; Psalm 91: 1-8.

Is it time to decide to turn from the sadness? Is it time to turn to the Lord and let Him cover us in His love?

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.  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 John 10:9,10.

   

It’s time for life, and that more abundant. Jesus gives . . .

His arms are wide.

The Gospel message is this: We’re all separated from God. Sin has ravaged all of human kind.

 . . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23. 

But God, sent His Son Jesus to die in our place.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord Romans 6:23.

We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all Isaiah 53:6.

As John the Baptist spoke as the messenger to “prepare the way in the wilderness,” Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near Matthew 3:2. 

Eternal life begins the moment we believe:

 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.  The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.

I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd John 10:11-16.

Is today the first day of the rest of your life receiving the gift from the Son? Pray to the Lord. Do we have the Lord, but continue in stubbornness and pride?

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness 1 John 1:9.

Ask for His forgiveness in that we have all gone astray. Receive the cleansing of the blood of Jesus. And the Lord tells us we be new:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17.

If you have prayed to the Lord to receive His gift of salvation, let someone know! Amen.

Today, He has made all things new.

Continue reading “No Smiles? Let a Child Teach”

What’s Truth?

We hear opinions and beliefs in our post modern culture, of patched-together ideas of Jesus, personal truths as it relates to each individual, such as, “The Jesus I believe in is love. He would never condemn anyone to hell.”

And we, Christians, understand that Jesus doesn’t condemn anyone to hell, our unrepentant sin does that. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.”

Christians understand that Jesus is Savior of the world.

We hear open arguments such as,

“The oppression throughout history has been caused by Christianity.”

The idea of Christian’s believe there is only one way to heaven and they are prejudice against any other belief system is hate and toxic.“

As Christians, we hear these thoughts of great misunderstandings with broken hearts, because we desire to be witness to the Gospel message: Mankind is plagued with dark hearts due to sin. The Father gave His Son, Jesus to make a complete and sufficient payment on the cross for our sins, and He overcame death and sin and with the miraculous wonder of being resurrected from the dead.

He lives forevermore, and offers life eternal to whosoever will believe. This is the Gospel. Jesus is the solution to all of the world.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16.

We all have many questions. The Bible is a Book worthy of study and a place to bring our misunderstandings, that we might cry out our questions to God. He will answer.

“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”

 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”

 Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? John 6: 4-9.

Christians don’t live by a set of rules and make rules for the world. We don’t read simply black and white letters on a page.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart Hebrews 4:12.

Christians receive the Holy Spirit when we believe on Jesus. His Word speaks and the Holy Spirit moves and gives us understanding in His Word. God is Holy and able to draw all men to Himself to all who believe.

“And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment” John 16:8.

We’re tempted to be shaken by people’s opinions and thoughts about “their” Jesus. But what did Jesus Himself tell us who believe?

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.  For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.  

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 

 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.  

And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.  Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.  And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

  But he who endures to the end shall be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” Matthew 24:3-14.

God’s Word strengthens us. Our faith is restored by God’s Word. Jesus speaks to us today:

“Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone.

And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.

In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” John 16:32,33.

In the Bible, Jesus was brought to Pilate’s court the Praetorium.

“Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?“

Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?”

Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of the world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?“

Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all” John 18:33-38.
What is truth? Let all the Christians say, “The person of Jesus.”

Jesus prayed for us in the Garden of Gethsemane in John 17,

” I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 

 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 

 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. 

Your word is truth. 

 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.  And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth” John 17:14-19.

Who is my Jesus? “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” Hebrews 13:8.

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,” 1 Timothy 2:5.

Are there Christians strengthened in God today by His glorious Word? Let all the people say, “Amen.”