Dear beloved, I am having difficulty composing this column as today my thoughts are on the anniversary of the war in Israel that has become a world war one year later. Since I have dual citizenship with the U.S. and Israel, I am distracted today.
I just saw on the news where bombs were dropping in Haifa in northern Israel where we lived and taught Bible scriptures to people from many nations. I am thankful I have the answer to share with you for our peace.
Recently I awakened from an afternoon nap. The plan of salvation for mankind flashed into my mind. Our God made his plan very simple for us. It’s like receiving a package from UPS at our front door. All we do is take the package being offered to us. Beloved, it truly is that simple.
Our Lord prepared a divine being, Jesus. He was half God and half man. This made it possible for him to become our perfect sacrifice on his cross for our sins because he had no sin.
What is sin? It is our willfulness to do what we choose even if our Holy Lord teaches a higher more pure way of life. Sin is self will, making ourselves our own god. God had a plan when he created us. He wanted an eternal family to live with him in heaven for eternity. Jesus Christ – or Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah in the Old Testament – became our payment for sin. He is our advocate.
God prepared a divine being, Jesus, to build his family. Our triune God – father, son, Jesus, and Holy Spirit – agreed together, and Jesus was born by the Holy Spirit to a young virgin, Mary, who was betrothed to her future husband, Joseph, a descendant of Abraham. God sent Gabriel the angel of God, to Mary. In Luke 1:28, we see the angel Gabriel came to Mary in Nazareth and announced to her, that she would give birth to the son of God.
He told her, “Greetings, you are highly favored. The Lord is with you.” Gabriel told Mary not to be afraid. She had found favor with God. She would conceive and give birth to a son, and he was to be called Jesus. In the Hebrew language his name is Yeshua, which means salvation, healing and deliverance.
Jesus, the Greek name, means Jesus came to earth for each of us to be saved, healed and delivered from the darkness of evil and deception – eternal hell leading to the lake of fire. The angel told Mary in Luke 1:35 that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and the power of the most high would over shadow her. The holy one to be born was to be called the son of God.
Our God has an eternal destiny for each one of us. A divine plan written down in glory. Each of us are to find our purpose in this life. What our creator made for us to fulfill our life goal. It is our only hope for joy, comfort, peace, and love in this life.
When UPS shows up with your package, will you take it from him to yourself? Only you can receive the free gift of God that knocks on your door every day. It is our choice to receive the free gift of almighty God through his only son – Jesus the Christ for us, and all nations of people. All colors of people, and every man, woman, and child.
We are not holy, but our God is holy. By faith we receive the blood sacrifice of Jesus on his cross our our sins. Our heavenly father sees only the the right standing of his son, when he looks at those who have received the free gift of God. The son of God made holy for you and me.
Beloved, what does it mean to be highly favored like Mary? Are we counting the blessings of God that he has given to us? The favor of God is in our lives when so many are in darkness in this world. Today, receive your free gift given to you from the Creator, who loves you. Jesus, his son, paid with his life for you to be a son and daughter of God almighty for eternity.
Maranatha, oh Lord, come.
Sharon Marie Mays is an author and Bible teacher.
