Made us nigh by Christ.

Waking up to this peaceful still summer morning is amazing. I was praying and thinking about the post and the subject for today some childhood memories came back to me.

Ephesians 2:4-7 KJV

4. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love where with he loved us,

5. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

6. And hath raised us up together, and made us sit tighter in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

7. That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus.

The 7 things God has done:

1. Resurrected us from death in sin

2. Loved us

3. Saved us

4. Made us sit down with him in heavenly places

5. Made a plan for us

6. Created us in Christ

7. Made us night by Christ

We are looking at #7 today. Made us night by Christ.

First, we have to know what night is to understand what God has done for us.

Night means brought near.

So God brought us near to him by Jesus Christ. What it means to be brought near by Christ is that we were away from God and God wanted us close so he sent His only begotten son Jesus Christ who gave his free will up to the Father’s will and gave his blood for us to be able to come close to God!!

By Christ means, by the blood of Jesus Christ!! Nothing makes us closer to God then salvation!! That is the way and the seal over the door!

As I was asking God for what to say and how to explain what that means and to express the importance of how much God loves us to make us near him God reminded me of my childhood.

As far back as I can remember I knew Jesus was near me, even to the fact that he made me unique by his hand. I wanted to be so close to God that I could reach out and touch him and tell everyone i knew how real he was. I got a New Testament Bible and carried it around everywhere, my cousin and I had (adults said played) church daily at home and at school. On the playground we would invite all our friends to come to this one spot that we had church. We were so sincere and true hearted with this. I can remember us doing church from kindergarten up till middle school. I just knew God was so neare to me. To this day some of those who had church with us say that is when they got saved, WOW!! When my cousin got saved at my aunts home I knew it was so real and today he says that is when God saved him! We also had friends who got saved and then one later passed away as a teen and the testimony of her life was of her getting saved while we had church on the playground.

To know the verse as to come with child life faith and to see children playing church and it be real salvation that comes from that !! That is the true heart of God drawing hear!! Our teacher and parents supported us, This was God making us near to him through the blood of Christ.

Some of us knew how to read and some did not. We knew the stories and the preachings from attending church and we knew the songs from singing them. We knew how to pray because we had been taught to kneel at the alter at the service. We also knew Gos was everywhere and church was not in a building because we had church at home weekly along with services t church weekly, . We also had family devoitionaly time, watching my Dsaddy pray and seek God is the most amazing memories I will ever have, and remembering Mom at the table really her Bible and praying. Mom and Daddy singing Al’s ways brings such a blessing in my spirit to this day, kneeling as a family praying I knew God was near. Now i know they were interceding in prayer seeking the Lord for us all.

We did not think we had to be in a building to have church. We had church in a bedroom, school playground, even an old chicken house in the barnyard, the open field, and in the school building lunchroom or gym, or even in the classroom. As i got older the one thing that never left me was my Bible. The little red New Testiment i carried everywhere because my rock to hold on to. I remember reading it on the bus and memorizing scripture wheelie going back and forth to school.

Times in my life that was very rocky and unsure of what the next minute would bring I knew God was near me. Even when at some point I did not carry my Bible everywhere I went; I still knew God was with me and protecting me. God always put people in my path that reminded me of the love of Christ.

Satan tried so hard to come between me and God to the point that I didn’t even believe I was wanted or loved anymore, But God showed himself real to me and lifted me up from the pit of hell, and placed me on the solid rock. God told me I was loved, God tole me I was wanted, God told me he has a perfect plan for me; God told me he didn’t just set me on a solid rock or place me in slime places, He set me in Christ Jesus, the cornerstone, the true solid foundation that can’t be shaken. God also told me He don’t just have a plan for my life, but that he has sat me in heavenly places beside Christ and Satan and all his devices are under my feet!! That is what Paul is telling the people in Ephesians, that God wants them to close to him and he made a way through the blood of Jesus Christ and we can be so close to God that we can hear his voice and reach out and touch him!!

So today, as we go forth watching our children grow and place we need to take a second and look at them and see what they are watching and listening to. Who they are playing, their hearts are pure and true, and let them pray and play church and have fun drawing near to God in the unique way us they know how to. Children are not afraid to say the name Jesus Christ and proclaim the gospel, and do it with such pure hearts. It is also so important for us to make sure we have Jesus Christ in everything we do and everywhere we are. Without seeing my family and teachers and everyone around me display Jesus Christ as a part of a lifestyle and not jsut in church then I would not have known it was ok to have church anywhere.

God bless each of you today and know i am praying for you all

~ Juanita Ilene ~