"The Gifts"

“The Gifts”

 

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.

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!

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 5:12, 15, 17

 

Sometimes we receive GIFTS that are NOT what we WANT, NEED or are USEFUL.  Spiritually speaking, we are given TWO very DISTINCT and COSTLY GIFTS.  One was given to US, ALL of mankind, before we were even thought of.  That was/ is the GIFT of a SINFUL NATURE.  It was provided by Adam and his EXTREMELY LOVELY wife, Eve.  It was a GIFT that NOBODY in their RIGHT MIND would WANT, NEED or could it ever be USEFUL.  Because it causes HEARTACHE, PAIN, AGONY, TORMENT, and ends up bringing CONDEMNATION and spending ALL of ETERNITY in HELL.   The GIFT of a SINFUL NATURE was brought to mankind, out of an act of DISOBEDIENCE to the Almighty God, the CREATOR of ALL things.  So how can we get rid of this UNWANTED, UN-NEEDED, and UN-USEFUL GIFT? 

 

Our Creator, God, has given us ANOTHER GIFT that is FAR, FAR BETTER, and is WANTED, NEEDED, and DEFINITELY USEFUL.  It is the GIFT of RIGHTEOUSNESS, which was provided for us, by God’s ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who died a cruel death on an old rugged cross, in order for mankind to be brought into a RIGHT relationship with God.  This GIFT of RIGHTEOUSNESS is made ESPECIALLY for us, using God’s own plan of SALVATION. All we have to do is to ACCEPT His GIFT of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and we do that by TURNING AWAY FROM our SINFUL LIFESTYLE, which is the product of the GIFT of the SINFUL NATURE, and to TURN TO  GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING our sins to Him  and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His GIFT of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and give to Him the GIFT of your SOUL, for ALL of ETERNITY.  Do it NOW, while you still can. He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"Who's Living In You?"

“Who’s Living In You?”

 

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.          Galatians 2:20

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.        Galatians 5:24-25

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your bodies.      1 Corinthians 6:19-20

 

The Apostle Paul was addressing the churches in Galatia and in Corinth, giving them advice on how they should conduct themselves, as Children of the Living God.  First, he gives them an example of LIVING BY FAITH.  He says: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”  Meaning, that he has put to DEATH his OLD life, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ lives in him.  Therefore he LIVES BY FAITH in the Son of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Why would he do this, because Jesus loved him so much that He gave Himself for Paul.

 

Paul goes on to say that, “those who belong to Christ Jesus have CRUCIFIED the FLESH with its passions and desires.”  The TRUE BELIEVER, those who have TRULY GIVEN their HEART and LIFE to God, and are LIVING BY FAITH, will put to DEATH their OLD, WRETCHED, SINFUL LIFE, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, they will LIVE by the SPIRIT.  So Paul tells them to KEEP in STEP with the SPIRIT, in other words, DON’T SLACK OFF!  STAY ON TRACK! AND REACH the GOAL!

 

Paul reminds the TRUE BELIEVERS in CORINTH, just WHO IS LIVING IN THEM.   He says:  “Do you not KNOW that your BODIES are TEMPLES of the Holy Spirit, who is IN you, whom you have received from God?”  He goes on to say that they do NOT belong to themselves, but they were bought at a price, the SHED BLOOD of JESUS CHRIST.  Therefore, they SHOULD HONOR GOD with their bodies, by TURNING AWAY FROM their OLD, SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURNING to a NEW LIFE in CHRIST JESUS. 

 

For the TRUE BELIEVER, it is the HOLY SPIRIT of the LIVING GOD, who lives in them.   For the UNBELIEVER, it is the influence of SATAN, who lives in them, and drags them into the pits of Hell, with all its HORRORS, for ALL of ETERNITY.  So WHO LIVES IN YOU? 

 

If you have NOT TRULY given your HEART and LIFE to God, then the influence of SATAN lives in you and you are headed for an ETERNITY in HELL, with NO way of ESCAPE.  However, God is giving you the opportunity, NOW, to TURN AWAY FROM your OLD, SINFUL LIFESTYLE, and to TURN TO Him, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  CONFESSING, your sins to Him, asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and receive the Holy Spirit, who will LIVE in YOU, and guide you to an ETERNITY in HEAVEN.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"The Mind-set of Mankind"

“The Mind-set of Mankind”

 

For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace.  For the mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, it is unable to do so.  Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.        Romans 8:6-8

 

There are two groups of people on earth, those who are UNBELIEVERS, and live according to the desires of the FLESH, and then there are those who are BELIEVERS, and they live according to the Spirit of the Living God.  

 

Those whose MIND-SET is on the flesh, brings death to themselves because of their life-style, which is CONTRARY to the Word of God.  Therefore they are hostile to God because their MIND-SET does NOT submit itself to God’s law, mainly because it cannot do so.  They desire to live according to their sinful, FLESHLY desires, and are condemned to DEATH.   A SPIRITUAL DEATH, being SEPARATED from anything GOOD, HOLY or RIGHTEOUS.  They will be subject to an ETERNITY in HELL and ALL of its HORRORS.   And even though the UNBELIEVER is HOSTILE to God and His HOLY, RIGHTEOUS NATURE, God still LOVES them enough to have sent His OWN Son, who was PERFECT, HOLY and without SIN, to a LOST and DYING world of SINFUL UNBELIEVERS, whose MIND-SET was/is on the FLESH, and their souls were/are headed for an ETERNITY in Hell.  God’s Son, Jesus, shed His OWN BLOOD, on an OLD RUGGED CROSS, but the grave could NOT hold Him and He CONQUERED DEATH by being BROUGHT BACK to LIFE, in order to bring a NEW MIND-SET to mankind, a MIND-SET that is of the HOLY SPIRIT, and brings LIFE, SPIRITUAL LIFE, along with an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, to a LOST and DYING world.

 

Which MIND-SET do you possess?   The MIND-SET of the FLESH? Or the MIND-SET of the SPIRIT?   If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then your MIND-SET is of the FLESH, and you are headed for an ETERNITY in HELL, with all its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  In order to have the MIND-SET of the SPIRIT, and to be PLEASING to the Almighty God, you MUST TURN AWAY FROM, your sinful life-style and TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for YOU, before God, then ACCEPT God’s gift of SALVATION, and receive the MIND-SET of the HOLY SPIRIT, and gain an ETERNITY in HEAVEN.  Do it NOW while you still can. He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

A BIG “THANK YOU” to ALL who offered up prayers for my surgery.  Everything went well, and as you can see, I’m back at the computer.  Praises be to our Heavenly Father!!!

 

 

"The Death of a Faithful Servant"

“The Death of a Faithful Servant”

 

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants.     Psalm 116:15

 

Today, our hearts are heavy with a BITTERSWEET feeling.  One of God’s FAITHFUL SERVANTS, Dr. Billy Graham has departed this WRETCHED, SINFUL world and has entered ALL the GLORIES of his Heavenly Home.  And right now is in the presence of the ALMIGHTY GOD and His Son, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and ALL the other FAITHFUL SERVANTS of God, who have gone on before him. 

Dr. Graham was a MIGHTY MAN of God, and served Him with FAITHFULNESS, COMPASSION, LOVE and INTEGRITY.  But one thing I know is, he was a man, imperfect, sinful, and was like all the rest of mankind, in NEED of a SAVIOR.  As RIGHTEOUS as he was, his RIGHTEOUSNESS could NOT bring him SALVATION and an ETERNITY in Heaven.  He, like EVERYONE else, was/is in NEED of a SAVIOR.  And Dr. Graham, surrendered to the wooing of God’s Holy Spirit, in his HEART, and he willingly ACCEPTED God’s gift of SALVATION, and received the RIGHTEOUSNESS of JESUS CHRIST, who became his SAVIOR and LORD. 

 

I believe that the moment Billy Graham entered his Heavenly Home , he looked into the eyes of his PRECIOUS LORD and the LORD said,  “Well done my GOOD and FAITHFUL SERVANT, your work on earth is done.  WELCOME to your ETERNAL HOME!”  What a DAY that will be for the rest of God’s FAITHFUL SERVANTS.   Are you one of God’s FAITHFUL SERVANTS?  Will you hear Him say, “Well done My GOOD and FAITHFUL SERVANT?”  Or will you hear Him say, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”       (Matthew 25:23, 41)   Death is FINAL, you MUST make a choice NOW, while you still can. 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you will NOT hear, “WELL DONE, My GOOD and FAITHFUL SERVANT,” but you will hear, “DEPART FROM ME, you CURSED.”  And you will be spending an ETERNITY in Hell with ALL of its HORRORS, and with NO WAY of ESCAPE.   You MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and experience God’s LOVE through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  And hear Him say; “WELL DONE, My GOOD and FAITHFUL SERVANT!”  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

NOTE:  I will be having surgery on my hand, tomorrow, Thursday, 22 Feb.  So I might not be posting any devotions for a while, so enjoy some of my earlier posts.  Sometimes it’s good to have a little refreshing of past posts.  Thanks, and please say a little prayer for a QUICK RECOVERY.  Love in Christ.

 

"How Majestic is Your Name!"

                                                               “How Majestic is Your Name!”

 

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!

When I consider Your heavens the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him?  Yet you have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty!          Psalm 8:1, 3-5

 

Have you ever been star gazing?  And while gazing up into the blackness of the sky, at all of the twinkling stars, imagined God’s fingers flinging each cluster into the exact place that He desired them to be?  How about Him placing the moon in just the RIGHT place, and creating it to have control over the tides of the vast oceans?  And the sun was created at just the right distance to the earth, in order for it to be able to warm the earth without scorching or burning it up.  This is what we call DIVINE DESIGN.  And the DIVINE DESIGNER is none other than GOD, Himself.   

 

The Psalmist, no doubt, was taken in by God’s creation, and says:   “O Lord, our Lord, how MAJESTIC is Your name in ALL the earth, who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!”   The word, MAJESTIC means; grand, stately or dignified.  So David says, “O Lord, our Lord, how GRAND, STATELY or DIGNIFIED is Your name, which refers to the deity or majesty of our Creator.   To realize that the Creator God, would create mankind from the DUST of the earth, and yet He would make him to be a little lower than God himself and God would put man in charge of the rest of creation.  And that God would CARE for man’s every need. 

 

And when mankind sinned against God, God CARED so MUCH for mankind that He provided a BLOOD SACRIFICE, the PERFECT LAMB, without blemish, the Lord Jesus Christ, who was without SINS, He who knew NO SIN, became SIN, in order to SAVE mankind from an ETERNITY in Hell with ALL its HORRORS.  And at the end of God’s plan of SALVATION, He will CROWN mankind with GLORY and MAJESTY. 

 

To think that the CREATOR of ALL things, died for ME and YOU, and has provided a way for us to be able to spend ALL ETERNITY in Heaven with Him and His Son, our SAVIOR and LORD, Jesus Christ.  And will CROWN us with GLORY and MAJESTY, and I, like David, ask:  “What is man that You take thought of him, and care for him?”   If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you will spend ETERNITY in Hell, unless you TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO God with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVEING with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and receive your crown with GLORY and MAJESTY, and an ETERNITY with the CREATOR of ALL things.  Do it NOW, while you still can.   He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"Building on a Strong Foundation"

“Building on a Strong Foundation”

 

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.   The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.   But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”         Matthew 7:24-27

 

If you have ever gone through a STRONG hurricane, you know what it is like to have the rain come down, streams and rivers overflow their banks, and the winds howl, continuously.  We are talking about winds STRONG enough to pull full-grown oak trees up by the roots.  If you have been through one, you definitely KNOW what I am talking about.  And I venture to say that you were REALLY happy to have been in a STRONG, STURDY structure, one with a STRONG and STURDY FOUNDATION.

 

Jesus taught the crowds of people, sometimes, using PARABLES, a PARABLE is usually an EARTHLY STORY with a HEAVENLY MEANING.  And so the listeners, would be able to understand what He was saying, because they could relate to the situation.  This PARABLE is talking about two houses, probably built with the SAME building materials, and they may have even looked similar, except for their FOUNDATIONS.  You see one FOUNDATION was built on a BIG, STRONG, STURDY ROCK. The other house’s FOUNDATION was built on SHIFTING SAND. 

 

So when the STRONG STORMS came pelting the house with TORRENTIAL RAINS, STRONG, HOWLING WINDS, and RISING WATERS, the house on the BIG, STRONG, STURDY ROCK, with-stood the STORMS.  But the house built on the SHIFTING SANDS, collapsed, and was destroyed.  This is a picture of a TRUE BELIEVER, and a FALSE BELIEVER. They may look similar in some aspects, but they are TOTALLY DIFFERENT in ONE very IMPORTANT aspect.  You see, the house built on the BIG, STRONG, STURDY ROCK represents the TRUE BELIEVER and the ROCK represents JESUS CHRIST.   So when the STRONG WINDS blow, TORRENTIAL RAINS fall and the RISING WATERS flow, which, by the way, represents all the TRIALS and TESTS we go through in this life, The TRUE BELIEVER, like the house can WITHSTAND all the STORMS of life, because they are BUILT ON the ROCK, JESUS CHRIST.  

 

On the other hand, the house built on the SHIFTING SAND, is like the FALSE BELIEVER, who will not be able to WITHSTAND ALL the STORMS of life, because they are built on the SHIFTING SANDS, which represents anything other than Jesus Christ, and they will COLLAPSE and be DESTROYED. Where is your FOUNDATION?  On the ROCK?   Or on the SHIFTING SAND?  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then your FOUNDATION is on the SHIFTING SANDS, and you are headed for an ETERNITY in Hell with ALL of its HORRORS, and DOOMED for DESTRUCTION.  But God is giving you the OPPORTUNITY NOW, to move your HOUSE on to a STRONG, STURDY FOUNDATION that is built on the ROCK, JESUS CHRIST.  You can do that by TURNING AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURNING TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and become a TRUE BELIEVER, who is able to WITHSTAND the STORMS of LIFE.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Being Thoroughly Equipped"

“Being Thoroughly Equipped”

 

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.       2 Timothy 3:16-17

 

In our world and our society, there is a NEED for certain people to be THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED for their mission of PROTECTING and SUSTAINING lives.  The MILITARY, POLICEMEN, FIREMEN, AND MEDICAL PERSONNELL must be THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED, and TRAINED through TEACHING, REBUKING, CORRECTING, and TRAINING in their field of expertise.   Would you want any of these “PROFESSIONALS” PROTECTING OR SUSTAINING your life if they didn’t know HOW or WHEN to use their equipment?   They MUST BE THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED for their mission.

 

So it is with a TRUE CHILD of the LIVING GOD, we MUST be THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED through the TEACHING, REBUKING, CORRECTING, AND TRAINING from the Word of God, if we are to REACH the LOST and DYING WORLD.  We MUST be TAUGHT and TRAINED through the CORRECTION and INSTRUCTION in RIGHTEOUSNESS.  So that we might be THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED for EVERY GOOD WORK, and in return to TEACH, REBUKE, CORRECT and TRAIN others in RIGHTEOUSNESS.

 

The Apostle Paul tells Timothy, that ALL SCRIPTURE is GOD-BREATHED, which means it is the INSPIRED Word of the Living God.  The Spirit of God enabled men of God to write the Word of God.  The Holy Spirit is the BREATH OF GOD.  (See 1 Peter 1:20-21).  The Holy Bible IS the Word of the Living God, and it is the TRAINING MANUEL for EVERY TRUE BELIEVER.  It provides TRAINING for them to be THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED to be able to CORRECTLY present the TRUTH of the WORD of GOD, and to bring SALVATION, through FAITH in Jesus Christ, to  a LOST and DYING world that is DOOMED for an ETERNITY in Hell with all its HORRORS and NO way of ESCAPE.    Are you a TRUE BELIEVER who is THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED to carry out your mission?  Do you KNOW the TRUTH of the Word of God?  Have you been TRAINED in RIGHTEOUSNESS?

 

Have you TRULY given your HEART and LIFE to God?  If NOT you are not ONLY NOT THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED to LEAD others to the LORD, but you are among those who are LOST and DYING, DOOMED to an ETERNITY in Hell with NO way of ESCAPE.  In order to change your DESTINY, you MUST TURN AWAY FROM your SINS and TURN TO God with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and begin your TRAINING in RIGHTEOUSNESS so you can be THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED for EVERY GOOD WORK.  You do that by getting yourself into a SOUND, BIBLE-BELIEVING, BIBLE-TEACHING and PREACHING Church.   Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"Your Final Appointment"

“Your Final Appointment”

 

And just as it is appointed for people to die once---and after this, judgment---so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.       Hebrews 9:27-28

 

In this day and age, we make all kinds of APPOINTMENTS, times that are set aside for certain activities or personal things, but there is coming ONE APPOINTMENT that will be the FINAL APPOINTMENT for EACH of us.  It is APPOINTED for ALL people to DIE ONCE, then comes JUDGMENT.  Now I know there are many who CLAIM to have DIED and gone to Heaven, and then returned back to earth again.  But how can we argue with the Word of the Living God, which clearly states that, “it is APPOINTED for PEOPLE to die ONCE,” and after that comes the JUDGMENT.  

Now you might wonder:  “What about Lazarus being raised from the dead?”  Well, I believe that Lazarus died a PHYSICAL DEATH, that is his body ceased to function, but his SOUL had NOT departed his body, and therefore he did NOT DIE a SPIRITUAL DEATH.  I believe that this was an act of the Almighty God, in order to validate the TRUTH of JESUS as the MESSIAH.  Martha believed in the BODILY RESURRECTION, and Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.  The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live, everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die---ever.  Do you believe this?”  (John 11:25)  I believe that Jesus was speaking of a Spiritual Death.  Then in verse twenty-seven, Martha replies:  “Yes, Lord,” she told Him, “I believe You are the Messiah, the Son of God, who comes into the world.”  You see, the resurrection of Lazarus was validity of Jesus’ deity.   Lazarus still faced his FINAL APPOINTMENT.

 

In our main Scripture, we are told that; “also the Messiah, having been offered ONCE to bear the sins of many, will appear a SECOND time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.”   He is coming back to culminate the plan of SALVATION for those who are TRUE BELIEVERS and are ANXIOUSLY AWAITING His return.  Are you READY to meet your FINAL APPOINTMENT?  And are you ANXIOUSLY AWAITING His return? 

 

You can be, if you will give your HEART and LIFE to God, by TURNING AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURNING TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be READY for your FINAL APPOINTMENT, and ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS. And ANXIOUSLY AWAIT His return.   Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Purpose of the Law"

“The Purpose of the Law”

 

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God.  Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.      Romans 3:19-20

 

Once, when I was witnessing to a young man, I asked him what he BELIEVED it took for a person to obtain SALVATION.  His answer to me was that he BELIEVED that if a person kept the Ten Commandments they would receive SALVATION.  WRONG!!  Then I shared what the Bible says about obtaining SALVATION.  Sadly, he rejected it.  I can only PRAY that seeds were planted that evening and eventually were cultivated into the TRUTH of God’s word and took root in that young man’s heart.  Many BELIEVE as he did that as long as you KEEP the Ten Commandments, you will have SALVATION.  This is NOT the TRUTH. 

 

The TRUTH is the Laws, which the Jews BELIEVED would SAVE them or bring them JUSTIFICATION, only brings them CONDEMNATION.  The PURPOSE of the Law was to bring them the KNOWLEDGE of their sins, so that they might be SAVED.  The WHOLE world stands GUILTY before the Almighty God, and BOTH JEW and GENTILE will be held ACCOUNTABLE for their sins.  We ALL are UNDER SIN and the ONLY WAY to obtain JUSTIFICATION is to come to the foot of the cross of Christ, and CONFESS our sins to Him, and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS. 

 

Keeping the Ten Commandments, if it could be done, and it cannot be done, because when you break ONE of them you break them ALL, would NOT bring SALVATION to your soul, because it takes the shedding of blood to cover one’s sins.   The Word of God tells us:  “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God?”  And according to the law almost ALL things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is NO remission.  (Hebrews 9:13-14,22). 

 

The Mosaic Law is an instrument of CONDEMNATION, not JUSTIFICATION.  Trying to keep the Ten Commandments will not bring you FORGIVENESS of your sins, but they will bring you KNOWLEDGE of your sins.  This is the PURPOSE of the LAW.   In order for you to OBTAIN SALVATION, you MUST ACKNOWLEDGE that you are a sinner, and TURN  AWAY FROM your sins, and TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and ESCAPE HELL with ALL its HORRORS and gain ETERNAL LIFE in Heaven, through the SHED BLOOD of the SPOTLESS LAMB, Jesus Christ.   Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"God's Unfailing Love and Wonderful Deeds"

“God’s Unfailing Love and Wonderful Deeds”

 

Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind.     Psalm 107:8

 

Have you ever just sat down, and meditated on ALL the WONDERFUL DEEDS the Lord God has done for you because of His UNFAILING LOVE?   Let’s take a few minutes to consider just what ALL He has done for us. 

 

First of all let’s look at the fact that His UNFAILING LOVE is a SUSTAINING LOVE.  He has created mankind, the Crown of His Creation, with certain things that they NEED to SUSTAIN them and He provides these things on a daily basis for EACH PERSON. He provides us with the AIR we breathe, and with WATER we consume and use for a lot of other functions that we need in order to survive.  He has placed us on the planet earth, which He created to SUSTAIN mankind.  It is a perfect environment for mankind to live in.  He has given us the proper vegetation and animal life to SUSTAIN our hunger and in some cases our medical needs, and ALL because of His UNFAILING, SUSTAINING LOVE.

 

Now, let’s look at another fact of His UNFAILING LOVE that it is also a SACRIFICAL LOVE.  After CREATION and the FALL of mankind, it was evident that there NEEDED to be a BLOOD SACRIFICE, in order to bring the CREATOR GOD, who is RIGHTEOUS and HOLY, and mankind, who is NOT RIGHTEOUS or HOLY, together in a FATHER, CHILD relationship.  The SACRIFICE was usually a PERFECT ANIMAL, one WITHOUT BLEMISH or SPOT, and it was SACRIFICED for the purpose of FORGIVENESS of one’s sins, and to bring them to a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with the Almighty God.  But it seemed to NOT be sufficient, so God GAVE His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, who was HOLY and RIGHTEOUS as the PERFECT SACRIFICE, He was WITHOUT SIN, and was GOD in the FLESH.  So God actually GAVE HIMSELF as a SACRIFICE to die on an OLD RUGGED CROSS for ALL of mankind, in order for them to have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with Him.  All because of His UNFAILING, SACRIFICAL LOVE.

 

Let’s look at one more fact of God’s UNFAILING LOVE.  It was a SAVING LOVE.  The Son of God, Jesus Christ, left ALL the GLORIES of Heaven, to come to earth as a helpless, newborn baby.  He came for the sole purpose of SEEKING and SAVING the LOST, and bringing them into that RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with God.  Mankind was dying in their sins, and in desperate NEED of a SAVIOR.  So Jesus became flesh and blood, and dwelt among mankind, but He, unlike mankind, was WITHOUT A SINFUL NATURE, so He became the PERFECT, ONCE for ALL SACRIFICE for ALL of those who would call upon His name for the SALVATION of their SOULS.  All because of His UNFAILING, SAVING LOVE. Have you called upon Him for the SALVATION of your soul?  Or are you still in your sins and headed for an ETERNITY in Hell with ALL of its HORRORS, and with NO WAY of ESCAPE?   You can ESCAPE an ETERNITY in Hell by, TURNING AWAY FROM your sins, and TURNING TO God with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and come into a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with God.  All because of His UNFAILING LOVE and WONDERFUL DEEDS.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"Hope in His Steadfast Love"

“Hope in His Steadfast Love”

 

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love. 

Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

Psalm 33:18, 22

 

HOPE:  Trustful expectation, particularly with reference to the fulfillment of God’s promises.  (Holman Bible Dictionary)

 

In our first verse, the Psalmist, tells us that, “the eye of the Lord is on those who FEAR Him.” Now I want you to know that this word ‘FEAR’, as it is used here, does NOT mean to be AFRAID OF, but it DOES mean to have a REVERENCE for the Almighty God. 

 

The Psalmist tells us that God’s EYE is on those who FEAR Him, indicating that God is AWARE of ALL that we do or whatever we encounter in our lifetime.  And because of our HOPE, trustful expectation, in His STEADFAST LOVE, we have His PROTECTION and His SALVATION upon our souls.  We are His OWN POSSESSION, and He LOVES us with a STEADFAST, UNFAILING, ENDURING, EVERLASTING LOVE, which cannot be BROKEN, STOLEN, or DESTROYED in anyway.  It is a LOVE that caused Him to sacrifice His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, the ONE and ONLY ONE who could SAVE mankind from their sins.  And He, Jesus Christ, who knew NO SIN, became SIN, by taking on ALL the sins, PAST, PRESENT, and FUTURE, of ALL mankind, from the BEGINNING of time until the END of time.  No GREATER LOVE has a man, but that he would GIVE his LIFE for another, and that was God’s STEADFAST LOVE exemplified.

 

Oh Lord, let your STEADFAST LOVE be poured into our HEARTS, as we TRUST and HOPE in YOU.  Have you experienced His STEADFAST LOVE?  Do you put your TRUST and HOPE in the Almighty God for the SALVATION of your soul?  Where will you spend your ETERNITY, HEAVEN or HELL?  The choice is yours to make.  If you desire to spend your ETERNITY in Heaven, then you MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His  FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and put your HOPE in His STEADFAST LOVE, and spend your ETERNITY in HEAVEN.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Obedient Love"

“Obedient Love”

 

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves Me will obey my teaching.  My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make our home with them.         John 14:23

 

Our LOVE for Jesus should be exemplified through our OBEDIENCE to His teaching.  OBEDIENCE comes out of our LOVE for Him and for Father God. 

 

When we LOVE we want to PLEASE those we LOVE.  We SHOULD WANT to be OBEDIENT to the teachings of the Word of God.  That desire is an indication of our LOVE and REVERENCE for our Heavenly Father and our Savior and Lord.  Those who want the LOVE of God, but do NOT want to be OBEDIENT to His Word, do NOT TRULY LOVE God or His Son, Jesus Christ, the One who GAVE His life, in order for mankind to have ETERNAL LIFE in Heaven and to be able to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in Hell with ALL of its HORRORS.  That in itself, SHOULD evoke an OBEDIENT LOVE in EVERY person on earth, for the HOLY, RIGHTEOUS God of this universe, the One who has the POWER to LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY, and to SAVE mankind of their sins. 

 

God’s LOVE for His Children is an ENDURING LOVE.  A LOVE that LASTS throughout ETERNITY.  It is a SURE and STEADFAST LOVE, FIRM, UNCHANGING, and UNWAVERING.  It is NOT like the LOVE of mankind, which is sometimes CONDITIONAL, WEAK, embedded with JEALOUSY, HOSTILITY, RAGE and UNCERTAINTY. 

 

When one has the LOVE of God in their HEART, they seek to PLEASE Him by FOLLOWING His teachings, being OBEDIENT to His Word, and FAITHFUL in their relationship with Him.  When you have an OBEDIENT LOVE for God, then you will do your BEST to FOLLOW His teachings, and you will have the HOPE of spending an ETERNITY in Heaven, and ESCAPING an ETERNITY in Hell. 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you do NOT have an OBEDIENT LOVE for Him, and your destiny is HELL with ALL of its HORRORS, for ALL of ETERNITY.  However, God is offering you the opportunity NOW, to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful, disobedient lifestyle, and to TURN TO Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and have an OBEDIENT LOVE for God and FOLLOW His Word.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"TRUE LOVE"

“TRUE LOVE”

 

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.         Romans 5:8

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.             John 3:16

 

AGAPE:  God’s LOVE for mankind

 

Today, I want us to LOOK and SEE the kind of LOVE God has for the Crown of His Creation, MANKIND. This LOVE is called AGAPE (a-gop a) LOVE.  There are many verses that talks about God’s LOVE for mankind.  It is many times called an UNFAILING LOVE, or an ABIDING LOVE.  It is TOTALLY different from the type of LOVE that a man has for a woman, or that friends or family members have towards each other. 

 

AGAPE LOVE cannot be duplicated.  It is a ‘SPECIAL’ kind of LOVE that can ONLY be demonstrated by God.  It is a TRUE, PURE, UNFAILING and ABIDING LOVE, unlike that of mankind.  It has the POWER to CHANGE a LIFE and an ETERNAL DESTINATION.  

 

Our Scriptures tells us that God demonstrates His OWN LOVE toward us, while we were STILL sinners.  He did this because He LOVED the world, SO MUCH that He gave His ONLY BEGOTTEN Son, Jesus Christ to DIE on an old rugged cross, for our sins, so that ANYONE who BELIEVES in Him should NOT PERISH, but have EVERLASTING LIFE in Heaven.  

 

Because of this AGAPE LOVE, we, who BELIEVE in the SAVING POWER of Jesus Christ, and have ACCEPTED His SALVATION, have HOPE, and this HOPE does NOT disappoint, because the LOVE of GOD, or His AGAPE LOVE, has been POURED OUT in our HEARTS, by God’s gift of His Holy Spirit.  And we are able to EXPERIENCE TRUE, PURE, UNFAILING, and ABIDING LOVE, and to share it with others, who are living in sin and are DOOMED to an ETERNITY in Hell.

 

Have you experienced the AGAPE LOVE of the Almighty God?  Are you living in sin and DOOMED to an ETERNITY in Hell with all of its HORRORS?  God is offering you a way of ESCAPING Hell, by TURNING AWAY FROM your sins and TURNING TO Him, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and EXPERIENCE His TRUE, PURE, UNFAILING and ABIDING LOVE, which is made possible through His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"The LOVE of a TRUE BELIEVER"

“The LOVE of a TRUE BELIEVER”

 

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.  For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God.                     1 Peter 1:22-23

 Probably, the MOST difficult thing for a person to do is to POSSESS LOVE, SINCERELY and DEEPLY from the HEART, for another person.  But for those who are TRUE BELIEVERS, and have PURIFIED themselves by being OBEDIENT to the TRUTH of God’s Word, they are commanded to do just that.  Let us take a look at what God’s Word says.

 

In Luke 6:32, the Word tells us:  “If you LOVE those who LOVE you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners LOVE those who LOVE them.”  As TRUE BELIEVERS, we are NOT to LIVE like a sinner, we should NOT have the same mindset or HEART attitude.  Because as a TRUE BELIEVER, you have been BORN AGAIN, with a NEW NATURE, and we SHOULD EXEMPLFY the NATURE of JESUS CHRIST, who is the ONLY EXAMPLE of TRUE LOVE.

 

In 1 John we have MANY examples of HOW we should LOVE as TRUE BELIEVERS.  In verse seven, we are told to LOVE one another, for LOVE comes from God.  Everyone who LOVES has been born of God and KNOWS God.  Whoever does NOT LOVE does NOT KNOW God, because GOD IS LOVE.  We are NOT talking about a SUPERFICIAL LOVE, one that expresses itself ONLY when it benefits the person that SHOULD be SHOWING TRUE LOVE to another TRUE BELIEVER.  God gives us a GREAT example of His LOVE in the SACRIFICIAL giving of His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, Jesus Christ for the souls of those who don’t return the same kind of LOVE, from DEEP within their HEART.

 

In verses twenty through twenty-one, it says:  “Whoever CLAIMS to LOVE God yet HATES a brother or sister is a LIAR.  For whoever does NOT LOVE their brother and sister, whom they have seen, CANNOT LOVE God, whom they have NOT seen.  And He has given us this COMMAND: Anyone who LOVES God MUST also LOVE their brother and sister.  In other words, the TRUE BELIEVER MUST DEEPLY and SINCERELY LOVE OTHER TRUE BELIEVERS, because we are ALL apart of God’s FAMILY.    Are you a TRUE BELIEVER, REALLY a TRUE BELIEVER?  One who LOVES OTHERS with a DEEP and SINCERE LOVE?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then there is NO WAY for you to LOVE others like God wants you to.  And if you consider yourself to be a TRUE BELIEVER, but you really DO NOT express a DEEP and SINCERE LOVE for OTHERS, you NEED to check out your SALVATION and do the VERY SAME thing that ALL UNBELIEVERS MUST DO.  TURN AWAY FROM your SINS and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and LOVE GOD and OTHER TRUE BELIEVERS, DEEPLY and SINCERELY.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Salvation's Formula, Christ's Victory"

“Salvation’s Formula, Christ’s Victory”

 

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord. “  And you forgave the guilt of my sin.      Psalm 32:5

 

There is a FORMULA for obtaining SALVATION, It is: ACKNOWLEDGE your sin, CONFESS your transgressions, and the result is FORGIVENESS of the GUILT of your sin.  The Prophet Isaiah, says this about the FIRST part of the FORMULA of SALVATION; ACKNOWLEDGING your sin; “For our offenses are many in your sight, and our sins testify AGAINST us.  Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities.”  We must have ACKNOWLEDGEMET of our sins.  The SECOND part of the FORMULA of SALVATION is CONFESSION of our transgressions, the Psalmist David says:  “I CONFESS my iniquity; I am TROUBLED by my sin.”  There’s a saying: “CONFESSION is GOOD for the soul.”  There is a lot of TRUTH to that saying. Without CONFESSING your transgressions (sin), you cannot obtain SALVATION.  ACKNOWLEDGING your sins and CONFESSING your transgressions, are CRUCIAL elements of the SALVATION FORMULA.  They cannot be deleted or replaced by something else.  When the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and the CONFESSION is made, the RESULT is the FORGIVENESS of your GUILT, by the ALMIGHTY GOD.  1 John 1:9, tells us that; “If we CONFESS our sins He is FAITHFUL and JUST and will FORGIVE us our sins and PURIFY us from ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.  Then we will receive SALVATION.  We MUST FOLLOW the SALVATION FORMULA.

 

This FORMULA brings VICTORY to Jesus Christ who has given His OWN LIFE to PROVIDE SALVATION for a LOST and DYING world.  He has done this by FOLLOWING God’s plan.  First He was SANCTIFIED.  John tells us the words of Jesus, in His prayer for His disciples:  “As You sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world.  For them I SANCTIFY Myself, that they too may be truly SANCTIFIED.  SANCTIFIED means to be SET APART, in order to accomplish God’s plan.  Jesus was SET APART as the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE for ALL of mankind.  The second thing is that Jesus was CRUCIFIED, He DIED in our place.  In the Gospel of Luke 24:20, we are told:  “The chief priests and our rulers handed Him (Jesus) over to be sentenced to death, and they CRUCIFIED Him.”  But DEATH and the GRAVE had NO HOLD on Him.  You see the third thing that was a KEY ELEMENT in His VICTORY, was the VICTORY He had over DEATH and the GRAVE, which was, being GLORIFIED, this came about by His RESURRECTION.  1 Peter 1:21, says:  “Through Him you BELIEVE in God, who RAISED Him from the dead (resurrection) and GLORIFIED Him, and so your FAITH and HOPE are in GOD.  And the VICTORY is Christ’s who has made possible the SALVATION FORMULA, and has given EVERYONE the opportunity to obtain SALVATION of their SOULS.  Have you obtained SALVATION by FOLLOWING its FORMULA?

 

To be able to ESCAPE the HORRORS of HELL for ALL ETERNITY, and to GAIN the GLORIES of HEAVEN for ALL of ETERNITY, you MUST FOLLOW the SALVATION FORMULA.  TURN AWAY FROM your sins, (ACKNOWLEDGING).  TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE (RESURRECTED) in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, by FOLLOWING the SALVATION FORMULA, and bring VICTORY to Jesus Christ.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Bread of Life"

“The Bread of Life”

 

“I am the Bread of life.  Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.  But here is the Bread that comes down from Heaven, which anyone may eat and not die.  I am the Living Bread that came down from Heaven.  Whoever eats this Bread will live forever.  This Bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”        John 6:49-51

 

Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life, came to earth for the sole purpose of SEEKING and SAVING the lost.  He tells us that those Moses led through the wilderness ate MANNA, but eventually, they still died.  However, the Bread from Heaven, which anyone may eat and NOT die, is speaking of a SPIRITUAL LIFE and SPIRITUAL DEATH. 

 

Jesus is the LIVING BREAD from Heaven, and when we ACCEPT Him as our SAVIOR and LORD, He becomes a part of us and we become part of Him, which FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING, means we are partaking in the eating of the Living Bread, Jesus, or consuming the Living Bread, meaning we absorb the very being of Christ.  We KNOW Him and are COMPLETELY living for HIM, and will receive ETERNAL LIFE in Heaven.  He is our SUSTENANCE, our BREAD of LIFE.

 

The Bread of Life, who came to earth and GAVE His LIFE for the LIFE of the world.  That the world might be SAVED, and for EVERYONE, who ACCEPTS or eats of this Bread, they will receive ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.  And they will ESCAPE the HORRORS of an ETERNITY in Hell.  Have you PARTAKEN of this Bread of LIFE?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you have NOT PARTAKEN of the Bread of Life, and are headed for an ETERNITY in HELL, with NO WAY of ESCAPE.  You MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO God with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and PARTAKE or EAT of the BREAD of LIFE, and receive ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!