"God's Gift versus Man's Sin"

“God’s Gift versus Man’s Sin”

 

Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin:  The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought Justification.

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!                                                                                                         Romans 5:16-17

 

There once was a person, who lived a sinful life.  They had never given God their HEART and LIFE.  As a matter of fact, they REJECTED anything that was associated with God, Jesus or of a spiritual nature.  One Christmas, this person’s office had a Christmas Party. There was a lot of eating, drinking, and very crude, sexual innuendos, which were being LOUDLY spoken.  There definitely was NO MENTION of the TRUE MEANING of Christmas.  Then they exchanged gifts. The person was surprised when they opened their gift.  It was a FIRE ALARM. “Now, what kind of gift was that?”  They thought, “I don’t NEED that, I ‘m forty years old and have NEVER had one.”   So that night, the person, had done a little too much celebrating.  They were DRUNK, when they got home they put their gift, the FIRE ALARM in the closet and closed the door.  “IF I think I’ll need it someday, I’ll put it up, but NOT NOW!  So the person shut the door to the closet, and went to bed with a lit cigarette in their hand, then they passed out.  That night the individual was swept out into ETERNITY.   They would spend ALL of their ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL of its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.    

 

Just like this situation, they REJECTED GOD, and His GIFT, Jesus Christ.  They IGNORED ANY thing related to God or of a Godly nature.  Whenever God’s Spirit dealt with them, they KEPT REJECTING.   Like the gift of the Fire Alarm, they wanted NO PART of God’s GIFT.  

 

Because of ONE man’s sin, CONDEMNATION came upon ALL MANKIND.  JUDGMENT followed ONE sin and brought the CONDEMNATION, but God’s GIFT followed MANY trespasses and brought JUSTIFICATION, A NOT GUILTY VERDICT on those who ACCEPT and BELIEVE in the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

 

By ONE man, Adam, DEATH REIGNED.  But because of God’s ABUNDANT GRACE and His GIFT of RIGHTEOUSNESS, which is given through the ONE Man, JESUS CHRIST, to those who will RECEIVE and BELIEVE, they will spend ALL ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Will YOU RECEIVE and BELIEVE?  

If you are living like this person in the story, at the beginning.  You are HEADED for an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL of its HORRORS.  In order to change your direction, you MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then you MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST ACCEPT His GIFT of SALVATION and RECEIVE His GIFT of RIGHTEOUSNESS, through the LORD JESUS CHRIST.   Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"God's Gift"

“God’s Gift”

 

But the gift is not like the trespass.  For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!        Romans 5:15

 

Adam, was a figure of the one who was to come, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God’s Gift to mankind.   The Apostle Paul tells us that Adam’s trespass or sin, is not like God’s Gift.  Many people died, both physically and spiritually because of Adam’s sin.  Mankind is born with a sinful nature, which is the desire to sin, because of the flesh.  Many people REJECT God’s Gift, because they are sinful by nature, and are blinded to the REAL TRUTH, just like Adam was, in the Garden of Eden.  And their destiny is an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE

 

But God’s Gift is SO MUCH different.  God’s GRACE, which came through the Gift of His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ, offers MUCH, MUCH MORE than ANY sinful lifestyle.  God’s Gift is offered to ALL MANKIND.  It offers REDEMPTION, the FORGIVENESS of one’s sins.  It is a GIFT that KEEPS on GIVING.  It is ETERNAL, it will last FOREVER.   It provides RIGHTEOUSNESS, being able to have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with God.  And it SECURES us an ETERNITY in Heaven.

 

Have you RECEIVED or REJECTED God’s Gift?  If you REJECT God’s Gift, you will be spending ALL of ETERNITY in Hell, with NO WAY of ESCAPE.  The ONLY way for you to ESCAPE HELL is to:  TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION, and receive FORGIVENESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS and ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

  

"A Message for Joseph"

“A Message for Joseph”

 

But after he had considered this, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said.  “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.   She will give birth to a Son and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”        Matthew 1:20-21

 

Joseph was faithful to the law, and he did not want to expose Mary to public disgrace, so he decided to divorce her quietly.  It was their custom, when two people were engaged, for them to be able to put an end to an engagement, they had to get a decree of divorce.  But God had other plans, He sent an angel to Joseph in a dream, telling him to NOT be AFRAID to take Mary home as his wife, because the baby she was carrying was of the HOLY SPIRIT.

 

The angel went on to tell Joseph that the baby would be a son, and they were to name Him JESUS, for He will SAVE His people from their sins.   Now, this was a VERY IMPORTANT part of the MESSAGE for Joseph.  The angel had also told Mary that she would give birth to a Son, and she was to call Him JESUS.   The name JESUS means “Savior”.   And so He is, He came to His own and they did NOT receive Him, but to as many as did RECEIVE Him, to those who BELIEVED in His NAME, He gave the RIGHT to become Children of God.  (John 1:11-12)   

 

His NAME is POWERFUL!  SALVATION is found in no one else, for there is NO other NAME under Heaven given to mankind by which we MUST be SAVED. (Acts 4:12)  There is NO OTHER name upon which you can call to SAVE you from an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE. 

 

You MUST call upon the name of JESUS, and TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and receive JESUS as your SAVIOR and LORD, and Heaven as your ETERNAL HOME.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Horn of Salvation"

“The Horn of Salvation”

 

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come to His people and redeemed them.  He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David.”               Luke 1:68-69

 

These verses are part of Zechariah’s prophecy, given right after the birth of his son, John the Baptist.  The Holy Spirit came upon Zechariah and he prophesied of the coming of the REDEEMER of the world. 

 

Zechariah called Him the “HORN of SALVATION.”  The horns of an animal symbolized it POWER.  Some Israelites of that time, believed that the MESSIAH would come as a MIGHTY WARRIOR, one who would DELIVER them from Roman rule, and the tyranny, of which they suffered.  But when Jesus was born, He didn’t come as a MIGHTY WARRIOR, even though He was of the house of King David.  He came as a HUMBLE SERVANT of the ALMIGHTY GOD.  He came in OBEDIENCE to His Heavenly Father. He didn’t come to JUDGE mankind, but He came as their REDEEMER.  He was the ONLY ONE who had/has the POWER to REDEEM mankind from their sins, and to give them ETERNAL LIFE in Heaven.

 

This word “HORN” here symbolizes a STRONG KING.”  Even though Jesus came into this world, not born to a ROYAL family and not born in a PALACE.  He was and still is the KING of kings and LORD of lords.  And will one day, take His rightful place on David’s throne, for ALL of ETERNITY.

 

Just think, the One who is RULER of this Universe, came to earth as a tiny newborn baby, born in a manger, full of smelly animals, and was laid on a bed of hay.  He grew up, just like any other child.  Then when He was a grown man, He was HATED and REJECTED by His own creation.  Nevertheless, He was beaten to a bloody pulp, and nailed to an old rugged cross, to die a shameful, excruciating, death, so that mankind might come to a SAVING KNOWLEDGE, and be RESCUED from an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and be given the HOPE of HEAVEN with ALL its BLESSINGS. 

 

He suffered, bled and died, not because He was weak, but because He was OBEDIENT to His Father, and He is a STRONG, POWERFUL KING, who WILLINGLY gave HIS LIFE so that YOU and I could have ETERNAL LIFE in Heaven.  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, you are destined to spend ALL of ETERNITY in HELL, with NO WAY of ESCAPE.  God in His ABUNDANT MERCY and AMAZING GRACE is giving you the opportunity NOW to; TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And you MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and make your DESTINY an ETERNITY in Heaven.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

"The REAL Reason for the Season"

“The REAL Reason for the Season”

 

Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted. 

But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.             Isaiah 53:4-6

 

I TRULY BELIEVE that if Jesus had NOT been born, there would NOT be a CHRISTmas Season.  Many people think that this time of year is all about PARTIES, GIFT-GIVING, and SANTA CLAUS.  Now, while these things are NOT wrong to participate in, they are NOT what this SEASON is all about.

 

The REAL REASON for the SEASON is YOU and ME.  God so LOVED mankind that He was WILLING to SACRIFICE His ONE and ONLY SON to SUFFER in OUR place.  He took OUR PAIN and BORE OUR SUFFERING in order for US to be FORGIVEN of OUR sins, and to have an ETERNITY in Heaven.   He was PIERCED on an old rugged cross, for OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, and CRUSHED for OUR INIQUITIES.  The PUNISHMENT that He took, brought US PEACE and by His wounds WE are HEALED. This is NOT speaking of a PHYSICAL HEALING, but a SPIRITUAL HEALING.

 

The Almighty God GAVE US the BEST, MOST MEANINGFUL, LIFE-CHANGING, GIFT known to MANKIND.  He actually GAVE HIMSELF to take OUR PAIN and SUFFERING, and He became OUR SUBSTITUTE in DEATH by CRUCIFIXION. 

 

He, who came to earth as a tiny newborn babe, grew up SINLESS and PURE, without SIN, He became SIN by taking on ALL the SINS of ALL MANKIND, PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE.  And for those, who BELIEVE and ACCEPT God’s gift of SALVATION, they will inherit ALL the glories of Heaven and will spend ALL of ETERNITY there with ALL the other TRUE BELIEVERS, God, the Heavenly Father and His BELOVED SON, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Is this your destiny?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, you are destined for an ETERNITY in Hell, with UNENDING HORRORS and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  But YOU are the REAL REASON for the SEASON, because Jesus came and died for YOU.  All you have to do is; TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you before God, then you MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and spend an ETERNITY in Heaven, with ALL its glories.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"The Rising Sun"

“The Rising Sun”

 

“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Rising Sun will come to us from Heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”           Luke 1:76-79

 

These Scriptures are the benediction to Zechariah’s prophecy concerning the ministry of his son, John the Baptist and also the ministry of Jesus Christ, the Rising Sun, also known as, the Son of God.

 

John the Baptist, also known as, the forerunner of Jesus Christ, would go before the Lord to prepare the way for Him.  He would give people the KNOWLEDGE of SALVATION, which is accomplished through the FORGIVENESS of their sins.  This was John’s ministry.  He went out PREACHING and PREPARING the way of the Lord.  And those who accepted John’s message, were baptized.  That was how he received the title; John the Baptist.

 

The gift of SALVATION, was God’s plan for mankind.  It was provided because of His tender MERCY and amazing GRACE, which came to us, through the Rising Sun, the Lord Jesus Christ, who left the glories of Heaven, to SUFFER, BLEED and DIE on an old rugged cross, for the FORGIVENESS of the sins of ALL mankind.  He will SHINE on those LIVING in DARKNESS, and in the SHADOW of DEATH, and GUIDE their FEET into the PATH of PEACE.  He will HELP them ESCAPE HELL and GAIN an ETERNITY in HEAVEN. He came NOT to CONDEMN the world, but to SAVE the world.  This is the ministry of Jesus Christ, the RISING SUN.

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, you are DOOMED to an ETERNITY in Hell, the place of UNENDING HORRORS.  What better gift can you RECEIVE, than the gift of SALVATION?  This gift is INDESTRUCTIBLE, it will LAST throughout ETERNITY.  It brings PEACE of MIND, and JOY to your HEART.  It is the MOST VALUABLE gift you will EVER receive.   So choose WISELY, and allow the Rising Sun to shine on you, and to dispel the DARKNESS, and to bring you out of the shadow of DEATH and into the realm of EVERLASTING LIFE.  Let Him GUIDE your feet into the PATH of PEACE.  You can do this by:  TURNING AWAY FROM your sinful life, and TURNING TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART. Then CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and the HOPE of an ETERNITY in Heaven, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The SPECIAL Gift"

“The SPECIAL Gift”

 

He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.  Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.          John 1:11-12

 

This is “GIFT-GIVING” time, a time when we GIVE to others things, which expresses our affection for that individual.  It is usually a GIFT that is “SPECIAL”, one that we want to last a LONG time.  One that will bring them JOY and be BENEFICIAL to them in many ways. 

 

The problem is, some people, when they are given a “SPECIAL GIFT”, such as this, they REJECT it, maybe even ABUSE it, or just NOT RECEIVE it, to begin with.  Have you ever REJECTED a GIFT that someone, who LOVES you, has given you, and wondered, “WHY this?”  And you make up some excuse for not accepting it.   Maybe, you accept it, and take it home and shove it into a drawer, or hide it in a closet, this too is a form of REJECTION.  

 

God so LOVED the WORLD that He GAVE His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, as a SPECIAL GIFT, to express His GREAT LOVE to ALL of MANKIND.  But NOT EVERYONE has or will ACCEPT this SPECIAL GIFT.  God’s GIFT to MANKIND will LAST throughout ETERNITY.  It will bring GREAT JOY to ALL who will OPEN their HEART, and ACCEPT it.  The BENEFITS of this GIFT is beyond measure.  It brings the FORGIVENESS of our sins, and the right to become a TRUE CHILD of the LIVING GOD. And it will SECURE a FOREVER HOME in HEAVEN for ALL of ETERNITY.  Have you ACCEPTED this SPECIAL GIFT, GOD’S SON, Jesus Christ, as your SAVIOR and LORD? 

 

If you have REJECTED the GIFT, God is offering it to you again.  It is His desire that you ACCEPT His GIFT of SALVATION, and ESCAPE HELL, the place of UNENDING HORRORS, and to RECEIVE HEAVEN and ALL of its BLESSINGS.  In order to RECEIVE the GIFT, you MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST ACCEPT His GIFT of SALVATION, and become His Child, by RECEIVING His SPECIAL GIFT.  Do this NOW, while you still can.   He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!