BETHEL BAPTIST HOME PAGE-------CHRIST IS NOT VALUED AT ALL UNLESS HE IS VALUED ABOVE ALL

"THE DRAWING OF GRACE"

BY PASTOR JOE SANTOS

IN JOHN 17 WE SEE JESUS PRAYING FOR HIS DISCIPLES AND IN

VERSES 6 & 7 HE REVEALS THE FATHER TO THEM. THEY WERE YOURS, JESUS SAYS AND YOU GAVE THEM TO ME. WHAT A GIFT! GOD THE FATHER, IF YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD, HAS GIVEN YOU TO HIS SON. NO MAN COMETH TO ME SAID JESUS UNLESS THE FATHER DRAW HIM. EVERYTHING, OF COURSE BELONGS TO  THE FATHER, BUT HERE HE IS SPEAKING OF A POSSESSION BY REDEMPTION. WE WERE REDEEMED, NOT WITH SILVER OR GOLD, BUT BY THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS. WE WILL ONE DAY BE IN GLORY WITH OUR BLESSED JESUS. BUT NOW IN THIS WORLD WE WILL SUFFER BECAUSE OF OUR ASSOCIATION WITH OUR LORD. IN HIS HUMAN NATURE JESUS SHOWED US CLEARLY THE SUFFERINGS HE ENDURED, AND BY HIS UNWAVERING FAITH AND TRUST IN HIS FATHER  HE REMAINED UNMOVABLE DESPITE THE SUFFERING HE UNJUSTLY ENDURED. AND THIS FAITH IS GIVEN TO ALL HIS CHILDREN. WE ARE TO STAND IN CHRIST, AND LIVE BY THAT FAITH IN THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA GIVEN TO US BY GOD THE FATHER.   YES, BELOVED WE WILL ENDURE MUCH TRIBULATION, BUT GOD'S HAND  WILL BE ON OURS TO TAKE US THROUGH THE TRIALS AND THE TRIBULATION MIND YOU, AND NOT AROUND THEM AND THE JOURNEY THE PATHWAY HE PROVIDES FOR US WILL BE IN GLORY. WE CAN STAND STRONG IN HIS GRACE, IN HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US. SO LET US DEMONSTRATE THAT WE DO APPRECIATE, BY OUR UNWAVERING OBEDIENCE TO HIM FOUND IN A  SURRENDER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT