21 Days in 2024
LOVE RELEASES LIFE
"Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” (John 11:33-36 NKJV)
"When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him (INDIGNATION), and he was deeply troubled" (John 11:33 NLT).
God has always been motivated by love in all His dealings with us. He hates death because it is the penalty for sin, and sin was never part of the Lord’s purpose for us. Death would not exist in the world but for sin. Life is God’s default setting. Can you imagine a world where death did not exist? That will be what it is like when Heaven comes fully to Earth (Mt. 6:10; Rev 21:1-4).
"When Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus, it wasn’t only the grief that comes from loss that He was experiencing. It was also anger and indignation He felt because of the violation caused by death (John 10:10). When something happens that should not stand it makes us angry. The purpose of our Messiah was to rescue us from the ravages of sin and death by assuming in His body the payment for the penalty caused by our sin. He hates death because it is the opposite of all He is. He is Life. To be exact, He is the Resurrection AND the Life" (John 11:25).
"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4).
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full" (1 John 1:1-4).
"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live'" (John 11:25).
Because God is love (1 John 4:7-8), He is also life.
"And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:11-12).
Our view of life is often measured by time. We think of time as the great limiter of our life experience. However, the Bible does not put any limit on the life we may experience. The gift of salvation is eternal life. Eternity is not a time-measured existence. It is a non-linear, outside all limitation and beyond-time state of being. It begins for us when we are born again.
"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" (John 17:3).
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:1-5).
"For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17).
It is so important that we embrace the life we have been given in Jesus Christ. Because that life is the basis for all our ministry. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is an outpouring of life. As we distribute the blessings of our inheritance to others we do so by releasing life through our love. The very love and forgiveness we have received from the Lord is the gift we bestow to others.
"But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father.' 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together" (Romans 8:11-17).
"When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him (INDIGNATION), and he was deeply troubled" (John 11:33 NLT).
God has always been motivated by love in all His dealings with us. He hates death because it is the penalty for sin, and sin was never part of the Lord’s purpose for us. Death would not exist in the world but for sin. Life is God’s default setting. Can you imagine a world where death did not exist? That will be what it is like when Heaven comes fully to Earth (Mt. 6:10; Rev 21:1-4).
"When Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus, it wasn’t only the grief that comes from loss that He was experiencing. It was also anger and indignation He felt because of the violation caused by death (John 10:10). When something happens that should not stand it makes us angry. The purpose of our Messiah was to rescue us from the ravages of sin and death by assuming in His body the payment for the penalty caused by our sin. He hates death because it is the opposite of all He is. He is Life. To be exact, He is the Resurrection AND the Life" (John 11:25).
"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4).
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full" (1 John 1:1-4).
"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live'" (John 11:25).
Because God is love (1 John 4:7-8), He is also life.
"And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:11-12).
Our view of life is often measured by time. We think of time as the great limiter of our life experience. However, the Bible does not put any limit on the life we may experience. The gift of salvation is eternal life. Eternity is not a time-measured existence. It is a non-linear, outside all limitation and beyond-time state of being. It begins for us when we are born again.
"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" (John 17:3).
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:1-5).
"For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17).
It is so important that we embrace the life we have been given in Jesus Christ. Because that life is the basis for all our ministry. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is an outpouring of life. As we distribute the blessings of our inheritance to others we do so by releasing life through our love. The very love and forgiveness we have received from the Lord is the gift we bestow to others.
"But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father.' 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together" (Romans 8:11-17).