"The Rock of Refuge"

“The Rock of Refuge”

 

Be a rock of refuge for me, where I can always go.   Give the command to save me, for You are my Rock and Fortress.        Psalm 71:3

 

I think this Psalm is one of my FAVORITES if not my FAVORITE, mainly because it was penned to seek God’s HELP in OLD AGE.  For those of us who sport beautiful GRAY hair and even have a few wrinkles here and there, it is a manifest of sorts, giving us the REAL FACTS of growing old, and what we can expect, while we are “walking” or living by FAITH. 

 

We can be ASSURED that we have a ROCK of REFUGE, and we REALLY do NEED it, because the devil doesn’t let up on you, just because you are MATURING in AGE.  If you continue to read this Psalm, you will see that the Psalmist, in verse four says:  “Deliver me, my God, from the power of the WICKED, from the grasp of the UNJUST and OPPRESSIVE.”  So, there you go, you still have battles to fight, even in your latter years. 

 

Even with the CONTINUED SPIRITUAL BATTLES, we must endure, the TRUE BELIEVER, like the Psalmist, can say:  “But I will HOPE CONTINUALLY, and will PRAISE You MORE and MORE.  My mouth will TELL about Your RIGHTEOUSNESS and Your SALVATION ALL DAY LONG, though I cannot sum them up.  I come because of the mighty acts of the Lord God; I will proclaim your RIGHTEOUSNESS and Yours alone.  Even when I am OLD and GRAY, God, do NOT abandon me.  Then I will proclaim Your power to ANOTHER GENERATION.”  (Vv14-16, 18)

 

No matter what age we are, we MUST ALL come to the ROCK of REFUGE the SAME WAY.  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then this is what you MUST DO:  TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and then have the ASSURANCE that the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, is your ROCK of REFUGE, at ANY TIME and in ANY SITUATION.  So do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

GRACE: The Sure Foundation"

“GRACE:  The Sure Foundation”

 

May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.       2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

 

It is not an EASY road, for the TRUE BELIEVER of today, we often face trials and discouragements all along the way.  Our trials and discouragements may pale in comparison to those of the FIRST BELIEVERS of Jesus Christ.  But, nevertheless, they can bog us down, and cause us Spiritual anxieties and frustrations, which can alter our work for the Lord.

 

Paul’s prayer for the TRUE BELIEVERS in Thessalonica, was that they would have ETERNAL ENCOURAGEMENT.  Notice the Apostle begins his prayer with:  “May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father,”  this indicates the UNITY between the Son, Jesus and His Father, God, who has LOVED us and given us ETERNAL ENCOURAGEMENT and GOOD HOPE.  This is given to us by God’s GRACE, which is the FOUNDATION for the ETERNAL ENCOURAGEMENT and the GOOD HOPE.

 

The ETERNAL ENCOURAGEMENT, is KNOWING that whatever we face NOW, on this earth is TEMPORARY, and what we will face in Heaven will last throughout ETERNITY.  JOY, PEACE, LOVE, all these and MORE.  That SHOULD give us GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT and GOOD HOPE for the FUTURE that awaits EVERY TRUE BELIEVER.  Therefore, by GOD’S AMAZING GRACE we can have a SURE FOUNDATION and the ENCOURAGEMENT and STRENGTH we need to be DILIGENT in EVERY GOOD WORK and WORD.  Do you have that SURE FOUNDATION?

 

You can have that ETERNAL ENCOURAGEMENT and GOOD HOPE for NOW and the FUTURE, if you will TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  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 CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and receive ETERNAL ENCOURAGEMENT and GOOD HOPE, and ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Redeemed"

“The Redeemed”

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.     Psalm 107:2

 

The Psalmist tells us to PROCLAIM the GOODNESS of the Lord, for He has REDEEMED us from the hand of the ENEMY, whom, to the TRUE BELIEVER is the devil.  Even though this psalm was penned for those who had been delivered from their distresses of wandering in the wilderness, without food and water, it can be applicable to God’s Children of today.  Those who He has DELIVERED and REDEEMED.

 

Here are some reasons why the REDEEMED, today, should SAY SO.  First, Christ REDEEMED us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written:  “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” (Deut. 21:23) Jesus Christ was hung on an OLD RUGGED CROSS, and took on ALL the sins of ALL mankind, He became sin, in order to DELIVER us from the CURSE.  He REDEEMED us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through HIM, so that by FAITH we might receive the promise of the Spirit.   (Galatians 3:13-14)   We RECEIVE the blessing of JUSTIFICATION apart from the WORKS of the LAW, it is AVAILABLE to ALL who BELIEVE.  And that ALL who BELIEVE would be able to RECEIVE the PROMISE of the HOLY SPIRIT.

 

We, who are TRUE BELIEVERS, are no longer slaves to our SINS, but because of His PLAN of REDEMPTION, we have become His Children; and since we are His Children, we also have been made an HEIR to ALL the GLORIES of HEAVEN.  For the GRACE of God has appeared that offers SALVATION to ALL people.  It teaches us to say “NO” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this PRESENT AGE, while we WAIT for the BLESSED HOPE---the APPEARING of the glory of our GREAT GOD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, who gave Himself for us to REDEEM us from ALL WICKEDNESS and to PURIFY for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is GOOD.   (Titus 2:11-14)  And this is WHY the REDEEMED of the Lord SHOULD SAY SO!!

 

Can you PROCLAIM that you are REDEEMED?  In order to do that you MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and to TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  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 CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and become part of the REDEEMED and SAY SO!!  You will then become an HEIR to an ETERNAL HOME in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  And you will ESCAPE HELL with ALL its HORRORS.  So do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

 

"Confession Brings Mercy"

“Confession Brings Mercy”

 

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

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions.      Psalm 51:1

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.        1 John 1:9

 

MERCY is NOT receiving what we deserve, which is spending an ETERNITY in Hell, because mankind is WICKED and SINFUL by nature. And cannot SAVE themselves, by WORKING, PAYING or CONNIVING their way into Heaven.  So they are at the MERCY of a RIGHTEOUS, HOLY GOD, who is waiting for them to COME to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART. 

 

The very first step is to ACKNOWLEDGE our SINS, just as the Psalmist David says:  “Then I ACKNOWLEDGED my sin to You, and did NOT cover up my iniquity.”  He goes on to say:  “I will CONFESS my transgressions to the Lord.”   He was more than willing to CONFESS or tell God of ALL his transgressions.  And because of the CONFESSION, David received FORGIVENESS, and MERCY for his sins.

 

We, who are TRUE BELIEVERS, MUST KNOW that we too, SHOULD CONFESS our SINS to GOD and to THANK HIM for His MERCY.  In Psalm 51:1&2, David again cries out to God; “Have MERCY on me, O God, according to your UNFAILING LOVE; according to your GREAT COMPASSION blot out my transgressions.   Wash away ALL of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”   God’s MERCY is prompted by His UNFAILING LOVE for ALL mankind.  It is His desire that NONE should PERISH, but ALL would come to REPENTANCE.  That is MERCY.

 

1 John 1:9, is a PROMISE, which exemplifies that CONFESSION BRINGS MERCY.  It says: “IF we CONFESS our sins, He is FAITHFUL and JUST and WILL FORGIVE us our sins and PURIFY us from ALL unrighteousness.  This was carried out through the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE of GOD’S ONLY SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who died on an old, rugged cross, but He didn’t stay dead or in the grave. He was RISEN from the DEAD and the GRAVE, and is ALIVE TODAY, in HEAVEN, awaiting God’s nod that it is TIME to go get His Children, the REDEEMED, who, because of their CONFESSION and GOD’S MERCY, will receive an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Is this your DESTINY?  Have you CONFESSED your sins and received His MERCY?  You can if you will, TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  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 CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and receive His MERCY, by CONFESSING your sins, and ESCAPING an ETERNITY in HELL, in exchange for an ETERNITY in HEAVEN.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"In Whom Do You Trust?"

“In Whom Do You Trust?”

 

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”      Psalm 91:2

Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.     Psalm 62:8

It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.      Psalm 118:8

 

For the TRUE BELIEVER, this SIN-LADEN, CORRUPT, LAWLESS, DEPRAVED, world, in which we live, is TREACHEROUS, to say the least.  We not only face PHYSICAL DANGERS, but definitely SPIRITUAL DANGERS as well.   Those who escape the hidden snares of the great deceiver, the devil, KNOWS beyond any doubt that their escape was/is made POSSIBLE through the fact that the LORD is their REFUGE and FORTRESS, and in HIM ALONE do they TRUST.

 

GOD is our place of REFUGE or SAFETY, from the perils of this LOST and DYING world.  Mankind, who places their TRUST and seeks REFUGE from each other or from material things, will find that this is FUTILE and DANGEROUS.  If they, themselves, are SEEKING REFUGE, and are looking to each other, what makes them qualified to be a REFUGE or FORTRESS, or even a person, in whom you could TRUST with your PHYSICAL and SPIRITUAL well-being? 

 

As TRUE BELIEVERS, we SHOULD put ALL our TRUST in God, at ALL TIMES.  When we are in NEED, He is our REFUGE and our STRENGTH.  It is BEST to take REFUGE in the LORD than to TRUST in MERE HUMANS.  We can have CONFIDENCE in His POWER, and TRUST His HAND, especially when we think that there is NO WAY, because He will PROVIDE a WAY.

 

However, for the UNBELIEVER, it’s a whole different scenario.  ALL people, both BELIEVERS and UNBELIEVERS will face DEATH at some point in time.  We ALL are like sheep and are destined to die. But the DESTINY of the UNBELIEVER is DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT from the BELIEVER.  For those who have put their FAITH and TRUST in God, for their SALVATION, they will spend an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS. But for the UNBELIEVERS, those who have REJECTED GOD and His SALVATION, their DESTINY will be an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  So the question is:  IN WHOM DO YOU TRUST with your ETERNITY?  MANKIND or the ALMIGHTY GOD?

 

In order to ESCAPE spending ALL of ETERNITY in HELL, you MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and TRUST HIM to be your REFUGE and FORTRESS, and to be able to spend your ETERNITY in HEAVEN.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"The Glorified Body"

“The Glorified Body”

 

But our citizenship is in Heaven.  And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.      Philippians 3:20

 

The UNREPENTANT person has their mind on earthly things and earthly accomplishments.  Believing, in some cases, that earthly things and earthly accomplishments, like doing good deeds or helping the less fortunate will gain them merit with God.  But you MUST REMEMBER Ephesians 2:8&9, “For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through FAITH and this is NOT from yourselves, it is the GIFT of God---NOT by works, so that NO ONE can boast.”   For, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?  Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Mat. 16:26)

 

Now, I have said that to tell you that you MUST come to Jesus Christ for the SALVATION of your soul, in order to become a CITIZEN of Heaven.  We, who are TRUE BELIEVERS, and have our CITIZENSHIP in HEAVEN, are EAGERLY awaiting our SAVIOR from there.  And when He comes to take us Home, which of course, is the RAPTURE of ALL the TRUE BELIEVERS, and by the POWER that enables Him to bring EVERYTHING under His control, He will TRANSFORM our lowly, weak, flawed bodies to be LIKE His GLORIOUS body.  It will be made PERFECT in EVERYWAY, in the twinkling of an eye.   NO more PAIN, SICKNESS, HEARTACHE or DEATH, just a HOME in HEAVEN for ALL ETERNITY.  Is this your DESTINY?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then it is NOT your DESTINY.   You are DESTINED to spend ALL of ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE.  In order to become a CITIZEN of HEAVEN, and to be TRANSFORMED into a GLORIFIED BODY, like our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, you MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and to TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and receive your CITIZENSHIP in HEAVEN, and have a TRANSFORMED, GLORIFIED, PERFECT, BODY, just like JESUS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting, and coming SOON!!!

"The Called Out"

“The Called Out”

 

He has saved us and called us to a holy life---not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace.  This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.        2 Timothy 1:9-10

 

King David penned it very well when he said:  “Turn, Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.”  (Psalm 6:4).  God SAVED us and CALLED us to a HOLY LIFE, and it was not because of ANYTHING that we have done.  He SAVED us and CALLED US OUT of the MIREY clay, for His OWN purpose and grace, which was given to us by CHRIST JESUS, before the very BEGINNING of TIME, and it was ALL prompted by God’s UNFAILING LOVE.  The ONLY LOVE that can SAVE ALL of MANKIND. 

 

Jesus Christ, who DEFEATED and DESTROYED DEATH, and brought IMMORTALITY and LIFE to a LOST and DOOMED PEOPLE is the ONLY HOPE for the SALVATION of mankind.  Those who have HEARD the CALL and has RESPONDED POSITIVELY, will receive their SALVATION, and are CALLED OUT to SERVE the KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS. One way we SERVE, is to SHARE the GOSPEL or GOOD NEWS that JESUS SAVES, and will provide for ALL who will come to Him, LIFE and IMMORTALITY. 

 

Those who are WILLING TO come to Him, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, will receive ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, and will ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS.  To be one of the CALLED OUT, you MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST BELIEVE that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and be SAVED and CALLED OUT to LIVE a HOLY LIFE.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Unrepentant Heart versus the Repentant Heart:

“The Unrepentant Heart versus the Repentant Heart”

 

But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when His righteous judgment will be revealed.  

There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil;’ first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good:  first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.  For God does not show favoritism.        Romans 2:5, 9, 10, 11

 

Because of the STUBBORN UNWILLINGNESS of the UNREPENTANT HEART, of the UNBELIEVER, that person, who has REJECTED God by REJECTING His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, they are STORING up the WRATH of the ALMIGHTY GOD, the RIGHTEOUS JUDGE, who will bring RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT on them for their DISOBEDIENCE of an UNREPENTANT HEART that seeks to do EVIL in the sight of the RIGHTEOUS, HOLY GOD.

 

Their EVIL DEEDS reveals the content of their UNREPENTANT HEART.  On the other hand, the GOOD DEEDS reveals the content of the REPENTANT HEART of the TRUE BELIEVER.  One does NOT receive ETERNAL LIFE by the GOOD WORKS they do.  But ETERNAL LIFE comes from the AMAZING GRACE and ABUNDANT MERCY of a LOVING GOD, who LOVED the UNREPENTANT HEARTS, so MUCH that He GAVE His ONLY SON as a BLOOD SACRIFICE, to REDEEM them from their sins and an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE.  For the UNREPENTANT HEART there will be TROUBLE and DISTRESS, but for the REPENTANT HEART there is GLORY, HONOR and PEACE.    

 

God’s GRACE and MERCY is poured out on ANYONE, the Jew first, then the Gentile.  Father God does NOT show FAVORTISM.  It is a SALVATION for ALL MANKIND.  For EVERYONE who WILL TURN AWAY FROM their sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, and will SEEK to do GOOD. And then BELIEVE, with ALL their HEART that Jesus died for them, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for them, before God.  Then they MUST CONFESS their sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and DO GOOD, and RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

                                                                                                                 

 

 

 

"The PERFECT Salvation of Mankind"

“The PERFECT Salvation of Mankind”

 

In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom everything exists, should make the Pioneer of their salvation perfect through what He suffered. Both the One who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family.   So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.      Hebrews 2:10-11

Son though He was, He learned from what He suffered and, once made perfect, He became the Source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.     Hebrews 5:8-9

 

The PERFECT SACRIFICE for the PERFECT PLAN of SALVATION, was GOD, Himself, who came in the form of a Man called JESUS.  He came the same as ALL of MANKIND does, through BIRTH.  But the SOLE purpose of His coming was to REDEEM mankind.

 

 God, being a HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, CREATOR and PERFECT GOD, desired a PERFECT SACRIFICE for the PERFECT PLAN of SALVATION.   And so, through ALL the SUFFERING that Jesus endured, it made Him the PERFECT SACRIFICE for the PERFECT PLAN of SALVATION.  It was imperative that Jesus SUFFERED for MANKIND, because Hebrews 9:22, says that:  “without the shedding of blood there is NO FORGIVENESS of sins. “   And Jesus Christ, ALWAYS being OBEDIENT to His Heavenly Father, SUFFERED, BLED and DIED, in order to be the PERFECT SACRIFICE for the PERFECT PLAN of the SALVATION of ALL MANKIND.   That PERFECT SALVATION is the ONLY WAY for you to spend ALL of ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS, and to be able to ESCAPE spending ALL of ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS. 

 

In order to do that, you MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle and to TURN TO God with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST BELIEVE that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you before God.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You then, MUST ACCEPT His gift of PERFECT SALVATION, and become a MEMBER of GOD’S HOLY FAMILY, and spend ALL of your ETERNITY in HEAVEN.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Perfect Peace with the Rock"

“Perfect Peace with the Rock”

 

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.  Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord Himself is the Rock eternal.      Isaiah 26:3-4

 

PEACE is the absence of CONFLICT.  It is SERENITY, and CALMNESS.  Isaiah tells us that God will KEEP those whose MINDS are STEADFAST or whose mind is STAYED on Him, in PERFECT PEACE.  PERFECT means FLAWLESS, so God will KEEP those whose minds are STEADFAST, in a FLAWLESS PEACE. 

 

But that PERFECT PEACE belongs to the TRUE BELIEVER, who puts their TRUST in God FOREVER, because the LORD is the ROCK ETERNAL.  The Psalmist, tells us that:  “The LORD is my ROCK, my FORTRESS and my DELIVERER; my GOD is my ROCK, in whom I take REFUGE, my SHIELD and the HORN of my SALVATION, my STRONGHOLD.   (Ps. 18:2)  That is experiencing PERFECT PEACE. 

 

In Psalm 62:2, we see that: “Truly He is my ROCK and my SALVATION; He is my FORTRESS, I will NEVER be SHAKEN.  This too speaks of that PERFECT PEACE, which can only be experienced, when you have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with God and His Son, Jesus Christ, who is the ROCK and the SALVATION of ALL who will BELIEVE and TRUST in Him.  Is He your ROCK?  Do you have PERFECT PEACE? 

 

You can if you are WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and start experiencing that PERFECT PEACE with the ROCK of your SALVATION, because you TRUST in HIM.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Human Wisdom versus Spiritual Wisdom"

“Human Wisdom versus Spiritual Wisdom”

 

What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.  This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit –taught words.  The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.       1 Corinthians 2:12-14

 

In order for God’s Children to KNOW His will and to understand His Laws and His Precepts, we MUST have SPIRITUAL WISDOM, which is given to us at the time of our SALVATION.    The Plan of SALVATION was prepared by God, the Father and brought about through the DEATH and RESURRECTION of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.  And it is being applied to EVERY TRUE BELIEVER through the work of God’s Holy Spirit, which indwells the TRUE BELIEVE at the time of CONVERSION. 

 

This PLAN originated in God and is taught by His Spirit.  The Spirit of God TEACHES the TRUE BELIEVERS the aspects of our SALVATION, and He does this using SPIRITUAL WORDS, and bestowing upon each TRUE BELIEVER, SPIRITUAL WISDOM.  He does NOT use words that are taught to the unregenerate mankind, which produces HUMAN WISDOM, but cannot produce SPIRITUAL WISDOM. 

 

The UNSAVED PERSON, cannot understand the SPIRITUAL WORDS or the SPIRITUAL WISDOM, because they do NOT possess the SPIRIT of God, and they do NOT ACCEPT the things that come from the Spirit of God, because they consider them to be FOOLISH, and they cannot understand them, because they do NOT possess the Holy Spirit of God, who is our TEACHER and GUIDE.

 

These UNSAVED PEOPLE, only understand the HUMAN WISDOM, which falls short of being able to UNDERSTAND the plan of SALVATION, and they regard it as FOOLISHNESS, which is leading MANY to an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  They are LOST and without HOPE.  The ONLY WAY for them to RECEIVE SALVATION, and the SPIRITUAL WISDOM, they NEED to UNDERSTAND it.  They NEED to HAVE the HOLY SPIRIT INDWELLING them.  And to do that they MUST BE WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM their sinful lifestyle and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  They MUST BELIEVE, with ALL their HEART, that JESUS died for THEM, and is now ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for them, before God.  Then they MUST CONFESS their sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  They MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and RECEIVE the SPIRIT of GOD, and the SPIRITUAL WISDOM of their SALVATION.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

"Discipline and Hope"

“Discipline and Hope”

 

Discipline your Children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death.       Proverbs 19:18

 

This Proverb is imperative, which means it is an ABSOLUTE NECESSITY for the well-being of ALL CHILDREN.   Children who are NOT DISCIPLINED have NO HOPE.  They become REBELLIOUS, UNCONTROLLABLE, CORRUPT, and EVIL MINDED.

 

Their lifestyle will more than likely, be one of incarceration, they will end up spending MORE time behind bars than NOT.  There is NO HOPE for a PRODUCTIVE future, if ANY FUTURE at all.   UNDISCIPLINED CHILDREN may even end up facing LIFE in PRISON, or even facing DEATH by capital punishment or from the NATURAL CONSEQUENCES that generally accompany REBELLIOUS, UNCONTROLLABLE behavior.  

 

This outcome for the UNDISCIPLINED CHILD is pretty HOPELESS.  And the PARENT(S) are ACCOUNTABLE for this type of behavior.  When they REFUSE to DISCIPLINE their CHILDREN, they become a WILLING PARTY to the DEATH of their child.  The way to NOT be that WILLING PARTY is to begin DISCIPLINING at an EARLY AGE.  If you have STRONG-WILLED children, SEEK HELP from a TRAINED COUNSELOR.  But don’t let your PRECIOUS CHILDREN LIVE WITHOUT DISCIPLINE and HOPE.

 

Now, SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING, ALL God’s Children SHOULD be OBEDIENT and NOT REBELLIOUS.  They SHOULD BE WILLING to FOLLOW His WORD, and OBEY His Laws.  They SHOULD WALK or LIVE by FAITH.  They will have HOPE for a FUTURE, their ETERNAL HOPE is HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  However, for the UNDISCIPLINED, REBELLIOUS, EVIL-MINDED PERSON, they have NO HOPE, just an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  But they can have HOPE if they will, TURN AWAY FROM their SINFUL lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then BELIEVE, with ALL their HEART, that Jesus died for them and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for them before God.  They MUST CONFESS their sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  They MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and have the HOPE of ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The RIGHTEOUSNESS of a MERCIFUL God"

“The RIGHTEOUSNESS of a MERCIFUL God”

 

They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.  God presented Him as a propitiation through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God passed over the sins previously committed.   God presented Him to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be righteous and declare righteous the one who has faith in Jesus.           Romans 3:24-26

 

God stepped into time, and provided RIGHTEOUSNESS for mankind.  He knew that mankind was HOPELESSLY SINFUL and so He FREELY JUSTIFIED those who would come to Him, through the REDEMPTIVE work of His ONE and ONLY SON, Jesus Christ.  He did this through the shedding of the blood of Christ on the cross, and those who ACCEPTED this by FAITH, received JUSTIFICATION, the act of being set FREE, through their FAITH, from the penalty of their sins.  Then to be accepted by God as RIGHTEOUS, which is doing what is RIGHT and PLEASING in God’s sight.

 

The MERCIFUL God, in His restraint, passed over the sins that had previously been committed.  He did this, because of His OMNISCIENCE, the ability to KNOW ALL THINGS, He KNEW that He was going to send Jesus as the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE or the PROPITIATION for the SINS of ALL mankind, those of the PRESENT, PAST and FUTURE.  And in so doing He demonstrated His RIGHTEOUSNESS and would DECLARE RIGHTEOUS those who would ACCEPT Jesus and have FAITH in Him.

 

Those who DENY and REJECT Jesus, are headed for an ETERNITY in HELL, with all its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  Is this where you are in life, DENYING and REJECTING Jesus Christ and His work on the cross?  In order for you to change your DESTINY, you MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be FREELY JUSTIFIED, and be DECLARED RIGHTEOUS by God.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

 

 

"Lies and the Truth"

“Lies and the Truth”

 

I have not written to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth.        1 John 2:21

 

In today’s world, there are MANY people whose lives are consumed with so MANY lies that it is difficult, if not impossible to tell whether they KNOW what the TRUTH really is.  They are actually living out their life on nothing but LIES.  Children, at a very young age, are coached by their own parents to tell LIES.  Spouses LIE to each other, Children LIE to their parents, and their siblings, and employers to their employees, and the employee to their employer.  But the worst part of living a LIE, is when people LIE to themselves, deceiving themselves, and worst yet is when they LIE to God, who KNOWS ALL things, He can’t be fooled.  He KNOWS!!

 

John was writing to TRUE BELIEVERS, warning them about the teachings of FALSE TEACHERS. John wanted them to KNOW the fact that NO LIE COMES FROM THE TRUTH.  The LIAR is the one who DENIES that Jesus is the MESSIAH, and even those who DENY the very existence of the FATHER (God) and His Son (Jesus).  There are MANY who DOUBT the EXISTENCE of the Holy Trinity.  They prefer to BELIEVE a LIE, rather than to ACKNOWLEDGE the TRUTH.

 

This DENIAL will seal their FATE.  Jesus said:  “I am the Way, the TRUTH, and the Life.  NO ONE comes to the Father except through Me.”  Which means that HE is the ONLY WAY to obtain an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, and that is the ABSOLUTE TRUTH.  Without it, you are DOOMED to spend ALL of ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  Are you living a LIE?  Do you KNOW the TRUTH? 

 

You do NOW, which means if you continue to REJECT and DENY Jesus Christ, you are WITHOUT an EXCUSE, and will spend ALL ETERNITY in HELL.  But God wants you to KNOW the TRUTH.  So He is giving you the OPPORTUNITY NOW to change your DESTINY.  You MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART that JESUS died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS. Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and KNOW and BELIEVE the TRUTH, It will set you FREE, and give you an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Perfect Love!"

“Perfect Love!”

 

No one has seen God at any time.  If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.  By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.  God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.          1 John 4:12-16

 

Today, my WONDERFUL HUSBAND, and I are celebrating FIFTY-THREE years of marriage.  As I think back over the years, I think of the LOVE that we have had and STILL have for each other.  I feel that our LOVE GROWS STRONGER with each day.  It’s not ALWAYS been a smooth path, but God has ALWAYS been a part of our lives, and He has ALWAYS been SUFFICIENT for EVERY need.  Even though we cannot see Him, bodily, we CERTAINLY can FEEL His presence and we can TRUST His HAND, because He ABIDES in us.  And His LOVE is PERFECTED in us.  How do we KNOW this?  Because He has given us His PRECIOUS HOLY SPIRIT, who indwells ALL TRUE BELIEVERS.

 

God has also EXEMPLIFIED His GREAT LOVE for us in that He GAVE His ONLY SON to be the SAVIOR of ALL MANKIND.  He LOVED us so MUCH that He gave Jesus to be our SACRIFICE, by the shedding of His blood on the cross of Calvary.  And WHOEVER will COME to God and CONFESS that JESUS is the SON of God, and that He is their SAVIOR and LORD, then God abides in them and they in Him.  ALL of this is possible because GOD IS LOVE, and His LOVE is PERFECT.

 

Now, if you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, nor proclaimed that Jesus is the SON of GOD, and PROFESSED Him as your SAVIOR and LORD.  You do not have God abiding in you, and have NOT experienced His PERFECT LOVE.  Your DESTINY is an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  However, because of God’s PERFECT LOVE, ABUNDANT MERCY and AMAZING GRACE, He is NOW, offering you the opportunity to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and to TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  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 CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and He will ABIDE in YOU and YOU in Him, and He will LOVE YOU with His PERFECT LOVE.   Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ Jesus!"

“Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ Jesus!”

 

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him, because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will not die again.  Death no longer rules over Him.  For in light of the fact that He died to sin once for all; but in light of the fact that He lives, He lives to God.  So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.        Romans 6:8-11

 

 The Apostle Paul’s letter to the TRUE BELIEVERS in Rome, is applicable to ALL TRUE BELIEVERS of today.  We, who are TRUE BELIEVERS of the Lord Jesus Christ, should FOLLOW the guidelines, which the Apostle has laid out before us.  In these particular verses of Scripture, Paul tells us that when we become a TRUE BELIEVER, we have DIED with Christ, and if we have DIED with Christ then we will also LIVE with Him.

 

Because Jesus Christ did NOT stay dead in the grave, as all humans do, when they die a physical death.  He was RESURRECTED or RAISED from the DEAD and the GRAVE.  And DEATH NO LONGER has RULE over Him.  And, through His OBEDIENCE to God, by being the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE for ALL MANKIND, in that He laid down His life, DIED, for EVERYBODY.  He who knew NO sin, became sin, by taking on ALL the sins of mankind, past, present, and future.  And was RESURRECTED from the DEAD, which exhibited the fact that DEATH and the GRAVE has NO RULE over Him. 

 

So, if we have DIED with Christ, then we will also LIVE with Him.  But in order to LIVE with Him, we MUST DIE to OUR sins, ALL of our sins.  Which means that we do not CONTINUE in our old, sinful lifestyle, but we TURN AWAY FROM it, and TURN TO GOD, then we become ALIVE to God through the REDEMPTIVE WORK of Christ Jesus.   And we will inherit ALL the GLORIES of an ETERNAL HOME in Heaven.   Is this your DESTINY? 

 

You MUST DIE to your SINS, in order to be ALIVE in God, and to receive HEAVEN as your ETERNAL HOME, and to ESCAPE HELL, with ALL its HORRORS.   In order to do that, you MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is now ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and become DEAD to your sins, but ALIVE to God, and receive HEAVEN as your ETERNAL HOME.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Set Free!"

“Set Free!”

 

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness and the result is eternal life.  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.       Romans 6:22-23

 

Today, we celebrate the birthday of America, and her INDEPENDENCE, or the FREEDOM from the control of another.  We, as a nation received with that freedom, the right to form our own government and laws, and to WORK, FIGHT and STRIVE to become a GREAT NATION, the MOST FREE of ALL the nations on earth, which we ARE today.  And for that I am FOREVER GREATFUL.

 

In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the TRUE BELIEVERS in Rome, he tells them that they were once SLAVES to SIN, and FREE from the control of RIGHTEOUSNESS.  Then he asks: “What benefit did you reap at that time from the things that you are NOW ashamed of?  Those things result in DEATH!” (Rom. 6:20-21)  Paul was referring to a SPIRITUAL DEATH, which leads to an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  Are you still a SLAVE to SIN?  Are you facing a SPIRITUAL DEATH with an ETERNITY in HELL?

 

Paul tells the TRUE BELIEVERS that they have been SET FREE from their sins, and have become ENSLAVED to God and HOLINESS and RIGHTEOUSNESS, which leads to an ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Remember, being a SLAVE to SIN brings DEATH, but being a SLAVE to GOD, brings LIFE.  For the wages, what you will reap, of sin is DEATH, but the GIFT of God is ETERNAL LIFE in JESUS CHRIST our LORD!  

 

So, if you are still a SLAVE to SIN, and headed for a SPIRITUAL DEATH, which will lead you to an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, you NEED to KNOW that GOD has a plan for SETTING YOU FREE.   And that is for YOU to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART, that Jesus DIED for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be SET FREE from your SINS, and spend your ETERNITY in HEAVEN.   Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Law That Gives Freedom"

“The Law That Gives Freedom”

 

But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it---not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it---they will be blessed in what they do.                    James 1:25

 

 

A law that gives freedom seems paradoxical in nature.  In other words, it is almost absurd to think of a LAW that could possibly give FREEDOM, since a LAW usually means RESTRAINT or a LACK of FREEDOM.  However, the content of this verse tells us that if we will LOOK INTENTLY into the PERFECT LAW and WILL CONTINUE in it we can obtain SPIRITUAL FREEDOM.

 

God’s PERFECT LAW gives TRUE FREEDOM, and when one STUDIES it INTENTLY, and with OBEDIENCE to His PERFECT LAW, and will CONTINUE in it.  They will be BLESSED in what they do.  They will find SPIRITUAL STRENGTH, and a CONTINUED MATURITY. 

 

Jesus Christ said:  “Hold to My teaching, then you will KNOW the TRUTH and the TRUTH will set you FREE.”  (John 8:31-32)  The one who will do what God says, will find FREEDOM and they will be blessed in the GOOD WORKS they do.  Have you experienced God PERFECT LAW that provides FREEDOM?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God then you are in BONDAGE to your SINS.  And your DESTINY is an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  However, God has PROVIDED a Way for you to have FREEDOM and to CHANGE your DESTINY, and that is to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO Him, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  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 CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And you MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and STUDY His Word (Law), and OBEDIENTLY CONTINUE in His Word, the PERFECT LAW, and receive an ETERNITY in Heaven, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!