living it up?
"Yes, God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him may not die but may have eternal life." —John 3:16
Those who believe in Jesus have eternal life (Jn 20:31). Jesus came that we may have life and have it to the full (Jn 10:10). Jesus is the Life (Jn 11:25; 14:6), and He gives life (Jn 5:21). The angel who freed the apostles from prison told them: "Preach to the people all about this new life" (Acts 5:20).
This full eternal life is the life of heaven which Christians begin to experience on earth. This life is characterized by publicly witnessing for Jesus and by preaching and teaching. In the risen life, we are powerful enough to be a threat to the powers that be. We are worthy of being persecuted, even arrested for Jesus' sake.
In summary, life in Christ is eternal, full, and new. It is serving God. It is a life of love, faith, and obedience (Jn 15:10; Gal 2:20;1 Pt 1:2). It is being served by angels. The Christian life is so real and full that any other existence seems wasted (see 1 Pt 4:2-3), a half-life, or even a living death (1 Jn 3:14). Man is fully alive only in Jesus. Christ is the Life, and life should be Christ (Phil 1:21). Begin to live. Live for Jesus always. Live with Jesus forever.
Prayer: Father, I will proclaim what I have seen and heard so that others may share life with us (1 Jn 1:3).
Promise: "Glorify the Lord with me, let us together extol His name." —Ps 34:4
Praise: Jim has been teaching Bible studies for forty years.
Reference: (For related teaching, order our leaflet, Life-Decisions, and our booklet, Life-Changing Prayers from the Bible.)
(The Discipleship retreat, Seek First the Kingdom of God: The Beatitude Attitude, will equip you with knowledge of God's ways, April 15-17, 2016. Call 513-373-2397 or 937-587-5484 or see www.presentationministries.com to register or for more information.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, November 6, 2015
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