Jesus : A Kaleidoscope Of Grace: KALEIDOSCOPE SERIES, #1

By Vista Banda

''What would be an off the cuff response to the question,"How do you view Jesus?" Sure, most people are familiar with the name but how would you describe Him to others without sounding, well, too religious? Jesus is about religion without a doubt but the definition of religion matters. Jesus is not about some weird habits, clothing styles and language and definitely not about stern, unfeeling judgements. Jesus' idea of religion is abundant, joyous and fulfilling everyday living and not some stuffy, stiff and unemotional formalism and ritual.

A good starting point is to refer to Jesus' description of Himself, words He used to define Himself. "I am the light of the world,"and "I am the Alpha amd Omega." Those two statements are what this book is all about. The light of the world means that in various and different circumstances the world over, light is availed. But how that light is perceived is determined by the perculiar circumstances personal to an individual, in as much as the light pattern viwed in a kaleidoscope is determined by the unique arrangement of the reflecting media. Thus our personal circumstances shape the form of the light Jesus brings to a situation. And just like a kaleidoscope reveals light in symmetry, so the light Jesus brings, brings order and beauty to broken and damaged lives.

The light Jesus brings is the grace of Jesus. It is a grace that is all encompassing, covering every aspect of life. So when Jesus says He is the Alpha and Omega, the Greek equivalent of A to Z, all He is saying is, no aspect of life is beyond Him.

In four cycles of A TO Z, this book takes you on a revealing journey of the grace of Jesus, touching on aspects you might not have seen before. It is my wish that as you go through and discover new aspects of the grace of Jesus not only may you know them, but that they may begin to be effective in your life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vista Banda
• Release date: Jul 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223794899

Vista Banda

Vista Banda is a lay member of the United Family International Church. An Industrial Metallurgist by profession, now he has embarked on his true passion, responding to a lifelong call which is connecting with and bringing benefit to people through writing, Having experienced firsthand the grace of God in his life, including a miraculous deliveverance from death, he is convinced that people need to know a different God dependent kind of life. His Christian walk has exposed him to so many different ways the grace of God can be experienced. Vista is married to Thandie, who has been a loving and inspirational partner in their life's journey

Book preview

Anchor of Ability

PHILIPPIANS 4:13

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

KJV

I can. What a comfort those two little words afford. In a world which seems bent on proving itself indomitable, unconquerable and impossible, take courage from this fact. It is not the ultimate power. It owes its existence to something else. The world is a created entity whose continued existence it owes to its Creator. And as a reminder as to its place in the order of things, He has from time to time entered the realm of creation but operating beyond its natural function. It seemed impossible for a child to be born of a virgin but Jesus did it. It seemed impossible that water could change into wine but Jesus did it. It seemed impossible for someone to walk on water but Jesus did it. It seemed impossible for someone to be able to open blind eyes but Jesus did. It seemed impossible for someone to be perfectly, completely righteous but Jesus did it. It seemed impossible for someone to die and come back to life but Jesus did. He proved Himself the Master of any and every situation. Nothing is impossible for Him. Physically He is no longer here but He is now inside us. He empowers us from within for exploits. He for whom all things are possible is resident in us, how then can we fail? Because He can, I can. For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose, so Scripture declares. He who spoke the universe into existence and upholds all things without fail is working in me. He can do all things so; through Christ I can do all things.

Babe of Bethlehem

LUKE 2:10-11

10 The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide:

11A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master.

THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language

There is something inherently attractive and beautiful in babies. The innocence, the utter helplessness and the cuteness all appeal to our better natures evoking feelings of the greatest tenderness in all. They are a message of the future, an investment into the future, a message of continuity. They are a link between the past and the future. They are the repository of future hopes and aspirations. We all have been babies. We all have grown up. For the most part failure to fulfil potential is the status quo for many, leading to frustration, depression and anger. Dear reader, are you today filled with regrets over some unfulfilled dream? Are you a disappointment to your childhood aspirations? Do you wish you could turn back the hands of time or are you desperate for a second chance? Today there is some news for you. I want to tell you about a baby, a baby born in the humblest circumstances possible. But he was no ordinary baby, conceived without a man’s involvement and born of a virgin. This was the Creator Himself choosing to identify with a fallen race. This was the Babe who came as the message of the future, as the link between the past and the future. He is well able to take your past failures and transform them into present and even greater future success. He came to seek that which was lost. Trust Him. Just as you once were lost and now found, so your lost dreams can be found and brought to life again. And just as babies bring great hopes for the future, this Babe, in fulfilling His earthly mandate well ensured that all other failures can be transformed into great successes. Humanity’s biggest failure, right at the dawn of its existence He, by the sacrifice of Himself, transformed it such that sinners become saints. All other failures have their root in this and now He calls all to Himself for guaranteed success because all things work together for good for those who love God, who have been called according to His purposes.

Changer of Character

2 CORINTHIANS 3:18

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

ESV

A blasphemous, persecuting, violent man transformed into a gentle, peaceable teacher who gave us one of the most profound practical descriptions of love and excellent expositions on the grace of God. And what was his reason? I was shown mercy A greedy, grasping money loving swindler voluntarily gave away half his possessions to the poor and repaid those he had defrauded four times the amount. And what was his reason? Today salvation has come to this house. Far too many people struggle with undesirable character traits, fighting a losing battle to transform themselves, become better. Ingrained mind-sets and habits are very, very difficult to dislodge and few, if any, people have the spiritual strength to achieve victory. There is only one sure method that guarantees success, an encounter with Jesus, not only an encounter with Him but a complete focus on Him.  An encounter transformed the Pharisee Saul into the Apostle Paul, transformed the tax collector Zaccheus into a son of Abraham, a believer. The Spirit of Christ is the greatest need of the world today. The antidote for the poison that is an ungodly character is Christlikeness. He it is who can take the worst of humanity to make them children of the Most High God by transforming them into his likeness. He it is who can take the junk of the world to make them Jewels of God. He changed the worst of the sinners into the greatest of saints; surely you are not beyond His power to transform. Let the divine Alchemist transform your common, run of the mill personality into the precious royal, winsome, Christlike character that is the gold of grace.

Decree of Deliverance

JOHN19:30

Then Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

KJV

It is finished. What? It is finished? Yes. What`s finished? Everything. But I am born of a family that has never known God. It is finished. But I have cheated and lied. It is finished. But I once aborted a child. It is finished. But I harbour bitterness and grudges. It is finished. You don’t understand I have committed so many sins. It is finished. I am a sinner. It is finished. When the Son of God, hanging on the cross, uttered those words he had completely drunk to the very last dregs the cup of God`s wrath, the sentence against every sin past, present, future, that every human ever born will be guilty of. So, alienation, estrangement, exile from God has been abolished. The handwriting of ordinances that was against us has been nailed to his cross and blotted out. You are now delivered from the domain of darkness. You are delivered from judgement over rituals; life is not according to shadows but the very substance, which is Christ. You are delivered from curses. You are delivered from philosophy and empty deceit. True freedom is a present reality because when the Son sets you free then you are free indeed. Against every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, we wield weapons not of flesh but having divine power to destroy strongholds, the Word, once spoken, which has eternal power.It is finished.

Eraser of Error

MATTHEW22:29

Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

KJV

You don’t know the scriptures or the power of God so you do err. Error can be very costly in its effects and should be avoided. But what a damning indictment of the Sadducees, religious hypocrites out of touch with living realities and uninterested in true life, men of this world whose reward is in this life. The source of their error is clearly spelt out, wilful ignorance. And the antidote is implicit. Know the scriptures and the power of God. This statement can be reduced to its most fundamental essence. Know Jesus The scriptures He says, testify of Me. He is the focus and essence of scripture. He is the power of God, the repository of all authority and power. So knowing Jesus is the best safeguard against error. But as He further explained, God is not a God of the dead but of the living. And therein lies the greatest cost of error. It can keep you in a state of living that is considered death. Follow me and let the dead bury their dead is the great formula to escape the clutches of error. The Sadducees’ god was their belly and their end was destruction. But the wisdom of God has been availed, that wisdom that did all things well, that spoke like no other man spoke, that confounded foe and critic with impeccable reasoning. That wisdom is here for the taking. The wisdom that leads to eternal rewards, that never fails is here present. Error is a by-product of darkness but wisdom calls forth light out of darkness. Jesus said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.The light of life, isn’t that something worth having?

Firstborn of the Faithful

ROMANS8: 29

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

KJV

The history