Wednesday, December 31, 2014

What's he talking about ?

That stirred up a hornet's nest of questions among the disciples: "What's he talking about: 'In a day or so you're not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me'? And, 'Because I'm on my way to the Father'? What is this 'day or so'? We don't know what he's talking about." John 16:17-18 The Message

Have you ever heard God tell you something and think, 'I don't know what He is talking about?'  The Amplified Bible poses the question this way, 'We do not know or understand what He is talking about?' 

So often that is absolutely true, we don't know or understand what God is saying. Possibly because we are so consumed by our own understanding and agenda, that we don't make time to seek God and try to understand what He is telling us. We have the Holy Spirit in us, who is able to help us understand.

'But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won't draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and indeed, out of all that I have done and said.'  John 16:13 The Message

We have to make a decision to listen to the Holy Spirit. We have to seek His revelation, not our own revelation, no matter how convicting it is. This can be tough, I know from my own experience. Sometimes the revelation won't be 'pretty' but it will be necessary. Necessary for our character growth and moving to a deeper understanding of our Heavenly Father. The apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians of the importance of this deeper knowledge and understanding, 

For this reason, we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things - that you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition]. Colossians 1:9-10 AMP

God wants us to lay down our own understanding and seek His understanding, not only so we experience personal growth, but so we can bear fruit in every good work. God has a plan and purpose for each of us.

Question for today, has God told you something and you don't fully understand what He is talking about? Why not take time today to be still and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal more to you about what God has told you? The Holy Spirit is in us to help us, if we will let Him. As Jesus says,

'He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you.' John 16:14 AMP


Saturday, December 27, 2014

Completely satisfied

Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born again child of God enjoys His favour and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied! Matthew 5:6 AMP

What makes you completely satisfied? Is it the presents you received this Christmas? Is it having a certain amount of money in the bank? What happens if that money is no longer there?  Is it having the best of best of a certain 'thing'? What happens if you can never obtain it, or if when you do, you lose it? Is it having the most delicious meal you have ever had? What happens when you are hungry again?

The Bible tells us we will be completely satisfied when we hunger and thirst for right-standing with God. Jesus teaches us again in Matthew 6, that our focus needs to be on our Heavenly Father, His kingdom and righteousness.

For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all. But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given to you besides. Matthew 6:32-33 AMP

Question for today, do you hunger and thirst for right-standing with God? We have the opportunity through our saviour, Jesus, to be in right-standing with God. So let's not hold back. Let's humbly seek Him and be completely satisfied.

The humble shall see it and be glad; you who seek God, inquiring for and requiring Him [as your first need], let your hearts revive and live! Psalm 69:32 AMP

Thursday, December 25, 2014

I have come to consider

But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as [one combined] loss for Christ's sake. Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognising and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One). Philippians 3:7-8 AMP

It is Christmas Day. What are you going to celebrate today? Family, friends, good health, financial prosperity, biggest and best Christmas present ever? There are so many worthwhile things to celebrate today. 

But what happens if some or all those things are taken away? What if you don't have family with you today, for whatever reason? What if you are all alone today? What if your health is not good and getting worse? What if financially things are a mess? What if you don't get any presents?  Then, what will you celebrate today?

Read the scripture above again, specifically, 'I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.'

Even if we are physically alone and suffering, we have the priceless privilege of knowing Christ Jesus, our Lord. Through God's grace, we have the greatest gift of all, Jesus. Let's celebrate Jesus today.

John testified about Him and cried out, This was He of Who I said, He Who come after me has priority over me, for He was before me. [He takes rank over me, for He existed before I did. He has advanced before me, because He is my Chief.] For our of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favour upon favour and gift [heaped] upon gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, grace (unearned, undeserved favour and spiritual blessing) and truth came through Jesus Christ. No man has ever seen God at any time; the only unique Son, or the only begotten God, Who is in the bosom [in the intimate presence] of the Father, He has declared Him [He has revealed Him and brought Him out where He can be seen; He has interpreted Him and He has made Him known]. John 1:15-18 AMP

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

What do you want?

Practically everything that goes on in the world - wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important - has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out - but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity. 1 John 2:16-17 The Message

We have a Heavenly Father who wants to have relationship with us. In 2 days time we are going to celebrate the birth of His Son on earth.  He wants to be with us forever, in eternity. God doesn't want us to be isolated from Him. God wants us to be in right standing with Him.

For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God's] overflowing grace (unmerited favour) and the free give of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). Romans 5:17 AMP

What do you want? Why not ask the Holy Spirit to help you do a 'heart check' against the list in 1 John 2:16, how do you rate when it comes to :
 - wanting your own way?
- wanting everything for yourself?
- wanting to appear important?

Maybe you are like me, on the outside, not appearing to want these things. But if you let the Holy Spirit reveal what is in your heart, you may find the truth is not so clear cut.  The motives behind some of my seemingly 'Godly' behaviours, are in truth, because I want my own way, or I want to appear important. It is a humbling, but necessary, experience to take time to let the Holy Spirit give you these personal revelations.

So I will ask the question again, what do you want? Do you want to be isolated from God? It may be that for you some parts of your life are aligned with God, but some are isolated. If this is the case, and you want to move from that place of isolation into God's will for your entire life, ask the Holy Spirit to show you what needs to be done. Repentance is always a good place to start.

But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything - and I do mean everything - connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life - a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside out and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces this character in you. Ephesians 4:20-23 The Message

Sunday, December 21, 2014

God and sinners, reconciled!

I love the Christmas carol, Hark! The herald angels sing, particularly the words, 'God and sinners reconciled.'  Jesus, God's Son came to earth so He would die and we could be reconciled to our Heavenly Father.

And although you at one time were estranged and alienated from Him and were of hostile attitude of mind in your wicked activities, Yet now has [Christ, the Messiah] reconciled [you to God] in the body of His flesh through death, in order to present you holy and faultless and irreproachable in His [the Father's] presence. Colossians 1:21-22 AMP 

Jesus' coming to earth and sacrificing His life, made a way for us to be in right-standing with God. Jesus made a way for us to enter into eternal life. The Message Bible puts it this way,

But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God's side and put your lives together, whole an holy in his presence.  Colossians 1:22 The Message.

Paul goes on to warn us, 

You don't walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly tuned in to the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message - just this one. Every creature under heaven gets this same Message. I, Paul, am a messenger of this Message. Colossians 1:23 The Message

In the busyness of this Christmas season, let's stay grounded, tuned in to The Message of Jesus. Through Jesus we have been reconciled to God. We are now Christ's ambassadors, sharing the message of reconciliation. 

So we are Christ's ambassador, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ's personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favour [now offered you] and be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20 AMP

We have been offered divine favour for a reason. Let's take hold of it, as God intended, and live our lives fully as Christ's ambassadors. Let's do all God calls us to do, to bring His message of reconciliation to this broken world.

But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favour, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him]. It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing us to the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favour).  2 Corinthians 5:18-19 AMP

Thursday, December 18, 2014

God with us

Jesus, God's own Son, came to earth to be with us. We declare this truth in the carols we sing at this time of year ....

'God with man is now residing' (Angels from the Realms of Glory)

'Word of the Father now in flesh appearing' (O Come, All Ye Faithful)

'Hail, hail the Word made flesh' (What Child is this?)

'How that in Bethlehem was born The Son of God by name' (God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen)

'Veiled in flesh the God-head see; Hail th' Incarnate Deity' (Hark! The Herald Angels Sing)

Question for today, when you sing Christmas Carols, do you sing out of habit and familiarity, or are you thinking about the meaning of their words? At this time of year, people all around the world are singing carols, whether it is at church, or community Christmas carols in the local park, at home or in the car. As they sing, they are declaring that God's own Son, Jesus, came down to be with us, our Emmanuel. Let's be one's who sing the loudest!

But as he was thinking this over, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary [as] your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of (from, out of) the Holy Spirit. she will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus [the Greek form of the Hebrew Joshua, which means Saviour], for He will save His people from their sins [that is, prevent them from failing and missing the true end and scope of life, which is God]. 
All this took place that it might be fulfilled which the Lord had spoken through the prophet, Behold, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel - which, when translated, means, God with us. Matthew 1:20-23 AMP

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Safe and sound through Him

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him. John 3:16-17 AMP

God knows our pain. God gave up His Son, Jesus, for us. Jesus understands our suffering. Jesus suffered here on earth.

Again, he puts himself in the same family circle when he says, Even I live by placing my trust in God. And yet again, I'm here with the children God gave me. 
Since the children are made of flesh and blood, it's logical that the Saviour took on flesh and blood in order to rescue them by his death. By embracing death, taking it into himself, he destroyed the Devil's hold on death and freed all who cower through life, scared to death of death.  It's obvious, of course, that he didn't go to all this trouble for angels. It was for people like us, children of Abraham. That's why he had to enter into every detail of human life. Then, when he came before God as high priest to get rid of the people's sins, he would have already experienced it all himself - all the pain, all the testing - and would be able to help where help was needed. Hebrews 2:13-18 The Message

God is our refuge and our strength, He understands. Question for today, if you are feeling fearful about this world we live in, lean on and confidently put your trust in Him. Jesus knows exactly how you feel. He can give you His peace.

The Lord also will be a refuge and a high tower for the oppressed, a refuge and a stronghold in times of trouble (high cost, destitution, and desperation). And they who know Your name [who have experience and acquaintance with Your mercy] will lean on and confidently put their trust in You, for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek (inquire of and for) You [on the authority of God's Word and the right of their necessity]. Psalm 9:9-10 AMP


Saturday, December 13, 2014

In the nick of time

Some of you set sail in big ships;
you put to sea to do business in faraway ports.
Out at sea you saw GOD in action,
saw his breathtaking ways with the ocean:
With a word he called up the wind -
an ocean storm, towering waves!
You shot high in the sky, then the bottoms dropped out; your hearts were stuck in your throats.
You were spun like a top, you reeled like a drunk,
you didn't know which end was up.
Then you called out to GOD in your desperate condition; he got you out in the nick of time.
He quieted the wind down to a whisper,
put a muzzle on all the big waves.
And you were so glad when the storm died down,
and he led you safely back to harbour.
So thank GOD for his marvelous love,
for his miracle mercy to the children he loves.
Psalm 107:23-31 The Message

There are some times and places in life when the only option is God. As I read this psalm this morning, I was recalling a time many years ago, when we were literally in a storm at sea, on a small 25ft yacht, off the coast of Sydney. The verse, 

You shot high in the sky, then the bottom dropped out; your hearts were stuck in your throats.

brings back particularly traumatic memories. Every time we went over the top of one of the big waves, we did have our hearts stuck in our throats as we waited to see if we would 'land' safely on the other side. We had a small outboard engine on the stern (back) of the boat, and as the boat rose on the big waves, the outboard would be out of the water and make a 'sewing machine noise' as the propeller blades turned without any water. For six hours we experienced God's breathtaking ways with the ocean. 

The worship song 'Shout to the Lord' by Darlene Zschech, had recently been released. I have a vivid memory of singing that song for most of the voyage. As we would rise up on the waves, I would sing at the top of my lungs, 

'The mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of Your Name, Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing, power and majesty, praise to the King.'

I know these lines are the opposite way to the chorus, but it worked better for me that way, almost as if, when we rose up on the waves,  I was commanding the waves, in Jesus Name, to bow down.

All the earth shall bow down to You and sing [praises] to You; they shall praise Your name in song. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! Psalm 66:4 AMP

That truth sustained me for the six hour voyage. As the Sydney heads came into view, the fuel in our outboard engine ran out. As the Voyage had taken longer that expected, we had used up all our spare fuel. My declarations of God's sovereignty and power moved to a whole new level! With one very small sail up, we literally surfed through Sydney heads. God had led us safely back to harbour, in the nick of time.

Throughout the voyage I had declared (screamed is probably a better description) God's word, as loud as I possibly could, and drew on what my many years of sailing had taught me to do. At the end of the voyage, after experiencing God's marvelous love, I could do nothing other than weep with an ever grateful heart. In fact I wept for three hours non-stop,

Blessed by the Lord, Who bears our burdens and carries us day by day, even the God Who is our salvation! Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! God is to us a God of deliverances and salvation; and to God the Lord belongs escape from death [setting us free]. Psalm 68:19-20 AMP

Question for today, are you in the midst of an ocean storm with towering waves? You may not be screaming out on top of literally big waves as I was, however, you may be screaming out to God in your own particular 'storm'. Remember, He is there, He is listening, He will get you out in the nick of time. God is a God of deliverances and salvation.


Thursday, December 11, 2014

I will look to the Lord

But as for me, I will look to the Lord and confident in Him I will keep watch; I will wait with hope and expectancy for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7 AMP

This is one of the scriptures that I hold very close to my heart. So often in my life things have gone on that I have had no control over. Not just minor things, but life-changing circumstances that no-one would every ask for. Situations in which I have had no choice but to seek God and wait on God. I have had to learn how to humble myself and look only to Him. 

Yet for us there is [only] one God, the Father, Who is the Source of all things and for Whom we [have life], and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through and by Whom are all things and through and by Whom we [ourselves exist]. 1 Corinthians 8:6 AMP

I clearly remember one morning before a critical meeting, having no idea what to say or do, being in the shower, tears streaming down my face, crying out to God, 'Why don't they see what I see? What do I say to make them see the truth?' The outcome of this meeting would determine the well-being of our family. Of course the situation I faced was nothing compared to what Moses faced, but the message I got from God was the same, 

Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and will teach you what you shall say. Exodus 4:12 AMP

And that is exactly what God in His grace did for me. In that shower, through the tears, he gave me a sentence to say, the exact words to speak, at the meeting that morning. At the meeting, when I was asked the question, I said the words God had given me. Immediately the direction of the meeting turned to the direct opposite way to which it was heading. God had prevailed! It was not me, not my strength, not my wisdom, not my power. It was God's Spirit that had given me the words to bring truth. 

So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. Zechariah 4:6 AMP

Yes there are still circumstances in my life that I am waiting with hope and expectancy for God to prevail in. But I am choosing to look to the Lord and be confident in Him.

Question for today, are you feeling weary from waiting for a circumstance in your life to change? Why not, stand tall, and daily declare, 'But as for me, I will look to the Lord and confident in Him I will keep watch; I will wait with hope and expectancy for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.'  Ask God to help you to learn to trust Him more, to trust that He is listening and He will answer in His time and in accordance with His plan and purposes.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Do not rely on your own insight

Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. Proverbs 3:5 AMP

It can be easy make decisions based on our own insight and understanding, and forget that there is a bigger picture, God's picture. Our own insight is minuscule compared to God's insight. He knows it all. We really don't even know ourselves! That is why he tells us that in all our ways, we need to know, recognize and acknowledge Him.

In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. Proverbs 3:6 AMP

So often when things don't go as we planned or thought they should have gone, we can find ourselves questioning God. Where is He? What is He doing? The Bible tells us the answers to these questions:

Q: Where is He?
A: God is in the midst.  God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God will help her right early [at the dawn of the morning]. Psalm 46:5 AMP 

Q: What is He doing?
A. He is perfecting us. His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ's body (the church), [That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him. Ephesians 4:12-13 AMP

Question for today, is there some aspect of your life that you are not happy about, or are feeling fearful about? Meditate on the scriptures I have shared today. Ask God to help you to trust that He has a bigger picture and it will be worked out in His timing. Ask God to help you allow Him to do the perfecting in your life that He is wanting to do. 

Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn [entirely] away from evil. Proverbs 3:7 AMP

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Not to us

NOT TO us, O Lord, not to us but to Your name give glory, for Your mercy and loving-kindness and for the sake of Your truth and faithfulness! Psalm 115:1 AMP

Who are you giving glory to today? What is glory? In this context glory can be defined as 'adoring praise and thanksgiving' (The Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary).

Have you taken time today to praise and thank God for His mercy and loving-kindness? I find I don't have to look far to find an example of His mercy and loving-kindness in my life. The fact that I am now in right-standing with my Heavenly Father is an indescribable act of mercy. Me, who, when I was 20 declared at the family dinner table, 'I don't believe in God anymore.' I had decided to completely turn my back on all I was bought up to believe. I was going down my own path of giving myself the glory. I traveled my own path for about six years, until through God's grace and some very faithful Christians, He bought me to a place of revelation and repentance. God had mercy on me.

It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 AMP

Today, with all that has happened in my life in the past 20 years I am so thankful for His mercy. I am thankful for all he has changed in me over the years, for all the sharp and ugly edges He has chipped away. I know there are more to be removed, and that is good. I don't want to stay still in God, I want to keep maturing and living life God's way. I can say in all honesty,

The Lord is my portion or share, says my living being (my inner self); therefore I will hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him. The Lord is good to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him, to those who seek Him [inquire of and for Him and require Him by right of necessity and on the authority of God's word]. Lamentations 3:24-25 AMP

Question for today, who or what are you giving glory to? Let's take time today to consider the mercy and loving-kindness God has given us, and give Him our adoring praise and thanks.

It is a good and delightful thing to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises [with musical accompaniment] to Your name, O Most High, to show forth Your loving-kindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night, with an instrument of ten strings and with the lute, with a solemn sound upon the lyre. For You, O Lord, have made me glad by Your works; at the deeds of Your hands I joyfully sing. How great are Your doings, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep. Psalm 92:1-5 AMP

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Completely set free

And also that He might deliver and completely set free all those who through the [haunting] fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives. For, as we all know, He [Christ] did not take hold of angels [the fallen angels, to give them a helping and delivering hand], but He did take hold of [the fallen] descendants of Abraham [to reach out to them a helping and delivering hand]. Hebrews 2:15-16 AMP

Jesus is here for you and me. His obedience to God, resulting in His sacrifice to overcome death, enables us to be completely set free. 

Just as the Son of Man came not to be waited on but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many [the price paid to set them free]. Matthew 20:28 AMP

Jesus' act of setting us free from sin allows us to come into right-standing with our Heavenly Father. Jesus provides a way for us to becomes slaves of God, rather than slaves of sin.

But now since you have been set free from sin and have become the slaves of God, you have your present reward in holiness and its end is eternal life. For the wages which sin pays in death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:22-23 AMP

The Message Bible says it this way,

But now that you've found you don't have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master. Romans 6:22-23 The Message

Question for today, have you accepted Jesus came to set you free in every area of your life? Jesus is offering you a helping and delivering hand for your entire life, not just the parts you want to give Him. Jesus wants you to have a whole, healed and put-together life right now! Why not take time now to surrender your whole life to Him and accept God's gift of real life, eternal life.

Blessed (praised and extolled and thanked) be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come and brought deliverance and redemption to His people! Luke 1:68 AMP


Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Who then is this?

And He arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Hush now! Be still (muzzled)! And the wind ceased (sank to rest as if exhausted by its beating) and there was [immediately] a great calm (a perfect peacefulness). He said to them, Why are you so timid and fearful? How is it that you have no faith (no firmly relying trust)? And they were filled with great awe and feared exceedingly and said to one another, Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey Him? Mark 4:39-41 AMP

Let's keep it simple this morning, who is Jesus? The Bible tells us He is the Son of God.

He said to them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am. Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Matthew 16:15-16 AMP

What authority does Jesus have? Matthew 28:18 tells us,

Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Matthew 28:18 AMP

Jesus has all authority, so it was no wonder that He could calm the storm. He has the authority given to Him by God the Father, our Heavenly Father too.

Whereupon Jesus called out as He taught in the temple [porches], Do you know Me, and do you know where I am from? I have not come on My own authority and of My own accord and as self-appointed, but the One Who sent me, is true (real, genuine, steadfast)l and Him you do not know! John 7:28 AMP

Who are we when we have faith in Jesus? Paul, in the book of Romans, tells us,

[All] are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favour and mercy), through the redemption which is [provided] in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:24 AMP

When we are in Christ Jesus, we are in right-standing with God. Right-standing with God, gives us eternal life.

So that, [just] as sin has reigned in death, [so] grace (His unearned and undeserved favour) might reign also through righteousness (right standing with God) which issues in eternal life through Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) our Lord. Romans 5:21 AMP

What authority do we have in Jesus? Jesus gave His disciples authority and power.

Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are enrolled in heaven. Luke 10:19-20 AMP

In summary, we know Jesus is the Son of God, and He has all authority in heaven and on earth. We know that when we have faith in Jesus, we have right-standing with God and eternal life, and we have the authority and power of Jesus Name. 

So, the question for today, why do we still lack faith in some areas of our lives? Is it because we know of, but don't fully understand who Jesus is, just like the disciples in the boat? Today, let's ask Jesus for a greater revelation of who He is so we can live more fully for him.

But grow in grace (undeserved favour, spiritual strength) and recognition and knowledge and understanding of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (the Messiah). To Him [be] glory (honour, majesty, and splendor) both now and to the day of eternity. Amen (so be it)! 2 Peter 3:18 AMP