All Christian believers are responsible for maintaining their passion for God. We do that through daily prayer and daily Bible reading, thereby staying in fellowship with God the Father. A believers constant goal should be to always please God. The Bible states that a lukewarm Christian does not please God. You have to be self-motivated and stoke your own internal spiritual fire in this world. Never ever let your faith grow cold! Each person is different so let’s each of us do whatever we need to do personally to keep our fire for God burning bright. All believers are also responsible for maintaining their fear of the Lord. I’m talking about “fear” in the biblical sense, which means to look upon God with awe, reverence and deep respect. This is an easy thing to do as long as you stay in fellowship with God through daily prayer and daily Bible reading. When you do the Holy Spirit will be more prominent in your life and your sanctification will accelerate as you walk humbly with your God all the time.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
God should be on the mind of believers numerous times throughout each day. Believers should be giving God honor, praise, worship and glory every day! At least once a week each believer should set aside some quality time to quietly meditate about the majesty and magnitude of Almighty God. This will help you maintain your passion for God and also your fear of the Lord. More importantly, God is pleased when you think about him and this more than anything else will increase and nurture your love of God. It’s easy to love someone who loved you first, when you didn’t deserve it. It’s easy to love a God who set aside his crown in heaven and lowered himself to our level by living a human life in order to save us from the fires of hell. That is real love. Jesus Christ died on the cross in our place to save us from our sins. Jesus could have said “no” at any time and avoided crucifixion; but then man would have been lost forever. Instead, Jesus bore the shame and humiliation of his terrible death to save us. Jesus is our Savior, my Savior, and I love him for it. When you think about Jesus just remember what he did for you, what he did for all of us, and that he loves you still.
JESUS PROOFS: (continued)
17. That he would make a triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Prophecy – Zechariah 9:9 – Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; he is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Fulfillment – Matthew 21:1-4 – Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethpage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, “The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.'” All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet.
18. That he would be praise by little children.
Prophecy – Psalm 8:2 – Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants you have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger.
Fulfillment – Matthew 21:16 – Do you hear what these (children) are saying? And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?”
19. That he would be the rejected cornerstone.
Prophecy – Psalm 118:22 – The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
Fulfillment – Matthew 21:42 – Jesus said the them, “Have you never read the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it was marvelous in our eyes’?”
20. That his miracles would not be believed.
Prophecy – Isaiah 53:1 – Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
Fulfillment – John 12:37-38 – But although He (Jesus) had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled.
21. That his friend would betray him for thirty pieces of silver.
Prophecy – Zechariah 11:12-13 – Then I (Judas) said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter” – that princely sum they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter.
Fulfillment – Matthew 26:14-16 – Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.
22. That he would be a man of sorrows.
Prophecy – Isaiah 53:3 – see # 16
Fulfillment – Then He (Jesus) said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”
23. That he would be forsaken by his disciples.
Prophecy – Zechariah 13:7 – “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the Man who is My Companion,” says the Lord of Hosts. Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; then I will turn My hand against the little ones.
Fulfillment – Matthew 26:31 – Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'”
24. That he would be scourged and spat upon.
Prophecy – Isaiah 50:6 – I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.
Fulfillment – Matthew 26:67 – Then they spat in His (Jesus’) face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands.
25. That his price money would be used to buy a potter’s field.
Prophecy – Zechariah 11:13 – see #21
Fulfillment – Matthew 27:5-7 – The he (Judas) threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself. But the chief priests took the silver and said, “It is not lawful to put them in the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.
26. That he would be given vinegar to drink.
Prophecy – Psalm 69:21 – They also gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
Fulfillment – Matthew 27:48 – Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.