Complete Confidence And Trust In Jesus Christ
By Rich Carmicheal
What a great privilege and blessing it is to share this issue of Herald of His Coming with you which focuses upon our Lord Jesus Christ and His ministry to us and in us! As you consider the various articles, keep in mind how glorious, how powerful, how sufficient, how faithful, how compassionate and how loving our Lord and Savior is. To help toward that end, take to heart these glorious truths regarding His person, His nature, His character and His ministry:
Truths About Jesus
He is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:16). He is one with the Father (John 10:30) and makes the Father known (John 15:15). He is seated at the right hand of the Father (Col. 3:1). He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and the only way to the Father (John 14:6).
He is the Bread of Life (John 6:35) and gives food that endures to eternal life (John 6:27). He is the spiritual Rock (1 Cor. 10:4) and gives living water that satisfies (John 4:14).
He is the Lamb of God (John 1:29) whose blood is precious (1 Pet. 1:19) and brings justification (Rom. 5:9), redemption (Eph. 1:7), atonement (Rom. 3:25), peace (Col. 1:20), cleansing for our consciences (Heb. 9:14), holiness (Heb. 13:12), purification from all sin (1 John 1:7) and freedom from our sins (Rev. 1:5). He is the Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7). His blood is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (Matt. 26:28).
He is the radiance of God’s glory, the exact representation of His being (Heb. 1:3). He is in very nature God (Phil. 2:6). He is the image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15) and God’s fullness dwells in Him (Col. 1:19). He is God (John 1:1) and is over all (Rom. 9:5).
He is the Author of Life (Acts 3:15); all things were created by Him and for Him (Col. 1:16). He sustains all things by His powerful word (Heb. 1:3). He is before all things and in Him all things hold together (Col. 1:17). He is the Alpha and Omega, the First and Last, the Beginning and the End (Rev. 22:13).
He is exalted to the highest place (Phil. 2:9) and yet is near (Phil. 4:5) and dwells in His people (Col. 1:27).
He is the True Vine (John 15:1) and the source of eternal salvation (Heb. 5:9), the source of encouragement (2 Thes. 2:16-17), the source of hope (1 Thes. 1:3), the source of perseverance (2 Thes. 3:5), the source of righteousness (Phil. 1:11), the source of abundant joy (Phil. 1:26), the source of fullness (Col. 2:10), the source of glorious riches (Phil. 4:19), the source of redemption and forgiveness (Col. 1:14), the source of peace and reconciliation with God (Col. 1:20) and the source of sanctification (1 Cor. 1:2). He invites those weary and burdened to come to Him for rest (Matt. 11:28). He invites us to enjoy fellowship with Him (Rev. 3:20).
He is the Son of David (Matt. 15:22) and the Son of Man (Matt. 16:27). He is a merciful and faithful High Priest who is able to help those who are tempted (Heb. 2:17-18). He humbled Himself and became a man like us (Phil. 2:7-8). He sympathizes with our weaknesses (Heb. 4:15).
He is the faithful Son over God’s house (Heb. 3:6). He is the Foundation (1 Cor. 3:11), the Living Stone (1 Pet. 2:4) and the chosen and precious Cornerstone (1 Pet. 2:6).
He is The Word of God (Rev. 19:13) and has the words of eternal life (John 6:68). He is a Teacher (John 3:2) and His words are spirit and life (John 6:63). He is the mystery of God in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:2-3).
He is full of grace and truth (John 1:14) and has unlimited patience (1 Tim. 1:16). He is meek, gentle and humble in heart (Matt. 11:29). His love is wide and long and high and deep (Eph. 3:18). He is compassionate toward the sick (Mark 1:41), the grieving (Luke 7:13), the hungry (Matt. 15:32), the helpless (Matt. 9:36) and the lost (Matt. 9:13). He is the Holy and Righteous One (Acts 3:14) and is Faithful and True (Rev. 19:11).
He gives abundant life (John 10:10) and wants His joy to be in us (John 15:11). He baptizes with the Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:11). He heals (Matt. 4:23), sets us free (John 8:36), rescues (Gal. 1:4), takes up our infirmities and carries our sicknesses (Matt. 8:17), works miracles (Matt. 13:54), loves and blesses children (Matt. 19:14), gives peace (John 14:27), strengthens (Phil. 4:13), empowers (Col. 1:29), intercedes for us (Heb. 7:25) and grants us an inheritance (Col. 3:24).
He is the Bridegroom (Matt. 9:15) and wants us to be with Him that we may behold His glory (John 17:24). He is our blessed hope (Titus 2:13) and He is coming again for those who are eagerly waiting for Him (Heb. 9:28). He will return in His Father’s glory with His angels (Matt. 16:27). He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him (Rev. 1:7).
His name is Jesus because He saves His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21). His name is above every other name (Phil. 2:9) and salvation is found in no other name (Acts 4:12). He is the Savior of the world (John 4:42) and is able to save completely (Heb. 7:25). He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10) and to call sinners to repentance (Matt. 9:13). He came to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28), and died for us while we were yet sinners (Rom. 5:8). He is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:14-15). He redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (Gal. 3:13). He is the Mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5) and speaks to the Father in our defense (1 John 2:1).
He has overcome the world (John 16:33) and He is the source for our victory (1 Cor. 15:57). He encourages us to have faith (Mark 9:23), to take heart (John 16:33) and to not be afraid (Mark 5:36). He is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2) and is able to keep us strong to the end (1 Cor. 1:8). He is the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls (1 Pet. 2:25).
He was crucified, buried and raised from the dead (1 Cor. 15:3-4). He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9). He is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25), the firstborn from among the dead (Rev. 1:5).
He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16), the Ruler of the kings of the earth (Rev. 1:5). He has power to bring all things under His control and to transform our lowly bodies so they will be like His glorious body (Phil. 3:21). He has authority over nature (Matt. 8:2) and authority to forgive sin (Matt. 9:2). He has all authority in heaven and earth (Matt. 28:18) and everything is in His hands (John 3:35). He is the Head of every man (1 Cor. 11:3), the Head of the church (Eph. 5:23) and the Head over every power and authority (Col. 2:10). He disarmed the powers and authorities (Col. 2:15), destroyed the devil’s work (1 John 3:8), destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light (2 Tim. 1:10). He is the Lord of the dead and the living (Rom. 14:9). He is the power and wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24) and in everything He has pre-eminence (Col. 1:18).
Our Response to Christ
What a Savior! We can trust Him fully! He is all-sufficient and will be faithful to us as we entrust ourselves and our situations to Him. There is no limit to His power, no limit to His love for us and no limit to His resources. Is not such a glorious, loving Savior worthy of our complete confidence and trust?
And is He not worthy of the full devotion of our lives? Dear friend, let us fix our thoughts, our eyes and our hearts more firmly upon Him. Let us devote ourselves to know Him more fully, to love Him more sincerely (Eph. 6:24), to spend more time with Him (Luke 10:39), to listen to Him (Matt. 17:5), to follow Him (Matt. 10:38), to obey Him (Matt. 28:20), to imitate Him (Phil. 2:5), to remain in Him (John 15:5), to revere Him (Eph. 5:21), to serve Him (Col. 3:24), to suffer for Him (Phil. 1:29), to bow before Him (Phil. 2:10), to stand firm in Him (Phil. 4:1), to rejoice in Him (Phil. 4:4), to walk in Him (Col. 2:6), to work for Him (1 Cor. 15:58), to wait for Him (1 Thes. 1:10), to be united with Him (Rom. 6:4-5), to be clothed with Him (Rom. 13:14), to be rooted and built up in Him (Col. 2:7), to let His peace rule in our hearts (Col. 3:15), to let His Word dwell in us richly (Col. 3:16), to pray in His name (John 14:13), to do everything in His name (Col. 3:17), to please Him (Col. 3:20), to live in Him (Col. 2:6) and to live for Him! (Phil. 1:21).
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Mutual Encouragement
The Herald staff is not only thankful for the opportunity to encourage you in Christ through this issue (and through other Herald materials), but we are also thankful for the way readers such as you bless and encourage us through your prayers, correspondence and support for the ministry. How good it is to encourage one another and to build up one another, and all the more as we see the Day of Christ’s Return drawing near! (Heb. 10:25). We hope to hear from you soon!
Herald of His Coming
P.O. Box 279
Seelyville IN 47878 U.S.A.