The Power of Jesus Christ and Him Crucified

Jesus' death, burial, resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father was established before the foundation of the world as God's Word says in 1 Peter 1:18-21 and Ephesians 1:3-4 (KJV).  Before mankind, God made provisions for our redemption and it was and it is by, and through Jesus Christ and Him Crucified!  Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 that he determined/resolved  not to know anything except Jesus Christ and Him crucified which is the Power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18). 

Once I learned that the cross is not a bad thing (because if it were not for the fact that Jesus died, was resurrected from the dead and his blood, shed for our sins, there would be no point of Christianity), but that the cross where Jesus shed his blood is the very place God chose to redeem us back to himself.  The question may arise, "Since God knew that mankind would sin and would need a redeemer, why didn't he stop it from the beginning?"  Good question.  The answer is an easy one. 

 God made us in his image, after his likeness, Genesis 1:26.  It is clear to see in the first couple chapters of Genesis that God's desire for his creation of mankind on earth was for us to "want" to love and obey him, so that he could have honest fellowship with us. God gave Adam instructions to follow and God visited with Adam.  As we read in Genesis 3:8-11,  Adam and Eve knew God's voice because they heard the voice of God walking in the garden.  So, this tells us that God had fellowship and a close relationship with Adam and Eve; but on this day we see when God came to fellowship with them, they were not in place.  We know this because God asked, "Where are you?" (sin moves us out of place)

Check out Genesis chapter 1 and all the provisions God made prior to creating Adam and Eve.  He didn't want mankind to have a need for anything, and if our needs are met (Philippians 4:19), then what can stand in the way of us having a relationship and fellowship with our creator?  We could spend our time with him and not be concerned with providing for ourselves. 

God's plan was and is simple, and it has not changed.  He wants you and I to freely "choose him" and not to be made or forced to choose him...so he gives us choices - a freewill.  He wants to provide for us, to fellowship with us, and he wants to able to find us in place (not in sin), so that we do not need to hide from him.  The Father's plan for Jesus' blood to pay the price for our sin has been provided.  Why?  God loved his creation so much that he wanted us back in place.  Now, if we accept his Son Jesus and what he did for us, then we can fellowship with God through the redemption of the blood of Jesus. 

Wow, what love...what power God has given to us (John 1:12).  The power of the blood and what Jesus finished on the cross that made everything right again.  The cross does not simply provide the blood for forgiveness of sin, but it also provides for us health, prosperity as well as an eternal place with him.  In John 10:10, Jesus tells us why he came.  Do you think he lied?  God forbid.  We have abundant life through him.  Is abundant life limited to eternal salvation?  Of course not, God cares about every aspect of our life and also wants an intimate relationship with us!

If I may take a moment and ask this question:  Which would you prefer:  A person in your life with whom you forced to say that they want to be in a relationship with you, or a person saying of their own freewill that they want to be in a relationship with you?  Of course we want those in our lives to freely choose to be in our presence.  Then why not God desiring the same type of relationship with his creation?  He loves us, and he misses us when we are not in fellowship with him, just as we would miss the people we love who never develop a relationship with us or spend time with us.

In Isaiah 46:12, God declared the end from the beginning (He is the Alpha & Omega, the Beginning and the End: Revelation 21:6) and came up with solutions to anything that would ever befall each of our lives to help us.  So, yes he saw Adam and Eve choosing to disobey before they did it, and he prepared Jesus as the answer to redeem mankind back to himself.  Pretty wise if you think about it all.  Just think if you were able to see the beginning of time and the end of time in one snapshot and then having the power and ability to work it out to where your desired results and original plan is carried out through time.  That's what God did!  He has the ability and power.  He knows all things and is everywhere at all times and he provided for us as he did for Adam and Eve so that he could enjoy his creation...mankind!

We have to know and understand that God will not and cannot override our will.  He cannot go back on his word and take away our free-will (Psalm 138:2), so he has to always work within the boundaries of his word or he would be a liar and then cease to be God!  God is holy, and that is his word on it.   He cannot allow sin in his presence. 

The thing we need to remember is with having a free-will and a choice is that we have to choose him and his plan of redemption through Jesus Christ and the finished work of the Cross. (John 19:30)  We have a say-so in his plan.  Father God bids us to "choose life" in Deuteronomy 30:19-20.  God's love for us is so "GI-NORMOUS" (gigantic & anormous) that sometimes we miss it because it is too big for us to comprehend or grasp.  Remember John 3:16?

I am glad that God provided all I need for living on earth with him and provided all I need for living eternally with him.  I hope as you read through these bible chapters and verses that Holy Spirit will reveal and teach you God's love.  Romans 8:35-39

For we are Ambassadors For Christ - 2 Corinthians 5:20