Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in (into) him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The preposition “into” shows how God becomes our source when we believe.

This preposition even shows us the meaning of becoming a Christian.

Based on John 3:16, our understanding of becoming a Christian is “whoever believes in Him.”

And many times, because of the way the gospel is presented, it issues in a kind of believing in Christ, but it is still objective: “Yes, I believe that story.”

And people do get saved, but they are left with a deficiency in their realization.

The words that the Lord spoke in John 3:16 were according to the divine economy of God’s operating from within man.

Thus, He did not say “whoever believes in Him.”

He used the preposition into: “whoever believes into Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

This means that I move from being outside this Person into this Person.

Paul also uses the preposition into when telling the Roman believers about their baptism: “Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus . . .” (Rom. 6:3).

The very words “into Christ Jesus” show us that from the beginning we have merged and become one spirit with another Person, another life, another source.

The preposition “in” reveals that I am in Christ.

That is my position.

My position is in Christ.

And then Colossians says, “Christ in you.”

That is His position.

His position is in me.

I have a position, and He has a position.

Many times we say, “Thank You, Lord, I am in You. I am outside the reach of condemnation. You are my righteousness.”

And we rejoice.

But we also need the other side–Christ in you.

That is His position.

He is saying to us, “How am I in here? Are you letting Me live in here? Do I have freedom in here?”

This is His position.

We are in Christ, and Christ is in us.

We have a position in Him.

He has a position in us.

Until Tomorrow

With A Shepherd’s Love,

Pastor Jackson

FRIDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS

David Burnette – SURGERY ON ARM FRIDAY 5/12

Daniel Cooper – Home

Sandy Paschal

James Parker – Home

Amy Garner

Lamar Knight – Home

Jim Mabe 

Charlene Palmer

Lorraine Elliott  

Eric Martin

Joanie/Jeanie’s Dad

Dr. and Mrs. Davis

Sandra Graham – Home  

Dan Haines

Doris Loyd

Linda Alexander

June Cronan

Jillian Gray

Amy Garner’s Mom & Dad 

Brandon’s Dad 

Darlene Thaxton 

David Harrison

Denise Hulsey – Jordan’s G’mother 

Easton Fielder 

Erik Magusson

Freddie May’s Mom 

George & Linda Alexander 

James Burnette 

June Cronan’s Sister 

John Austin 

John McClain 

Lillanna Magnusson’s Mom

Linda Hodges’ Sister 

Michael Stanley 

Ricky Gipson – Ashley’s Brother 

Rose Fuller 

Scott Nix 

Terrell Loyd 

Tom Witcher 

James Garner’s Friend 

Kim McClain’s Mother 

Lonzo Christin 

Ashely Burn’s Sisters 

Coly/Connor – Allison’s G’sons 

Larry Barker 

Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah 

Mary Sims 

Marynell Ford 

Pastor & Mrs. Driskell 

Ricky Stubbs 

Roseleigh Osborn 

Scott Lanier 

Sheila Simmon’s Cousin