Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, God’s only Son, came to earth in human form 2000+ years ago. The Bible says He came to bring salvation to the lost humanity and to restore the original God/man relationship.  Remember, due to man’s disobedience sin, bringing the death penalty, entered the world. John 3:

¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

¹⁵ That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

¹⁸ He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

The Bible shares very little about the growing-up years of Jesus Christ. But there is this amazing glimpse in Luke 2:

⁵² And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

Since Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, perfect, God’s only Son, how could He grow in favor with God? The answer is found in Proverbs 3:

³Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

⁴ So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Mercy =compassion or kindly forbearance given to an offender

Truth = honest, integrity

There will always be people who criticize you because we each have different points of view, backgrounds, experiences. There will even be some people who hurt you, sometimes by accident and sometimes intentionally.

Is there someone in your life who often criticizes or offends you?

How can you best show kindly forbearance to that person?

Do you want to increase in favor with Jesus Christ?

The Bible gives specific directions for how to handle that one who criticizes, offends or even hurts you. Colossians 3:

²³ And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

²⁴ Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

²⁵ But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons

Is this to be easy? No, we live in a sinful, fallen creation. However, jesus Christ promises His help. Here are His words given right before He submitted to the punishment for your sins and my sins and recorded in John 15:

⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

⁵ I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

⁶ If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

⁷ If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

⁸ Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

⁹ As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

¹⁰ If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

¹¹ These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Do you desire to bear fruit?

Is your joy full?

Tell it to Jesus Christ

Hebrews 12:

¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God

Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you, has uniquely designed and created only one you, has a good

plan for your life, runs with you and will accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti