“Conformed or Transformed “

 “Conformed or Transformed”

 

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.   Romans 12:2

 

The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Christians in Rome, gives them instructions on their actions and attitudes concerning their lifestyle now that they are BELIEVERS of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  

 

The first thing is that they NO LONGER COPY or CONFORM to the WAYS of this SINFUL WORLD.  But they are to be TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING of their MINDS.  In other words, they are to THINK differently than how the WORLDLY people think.  These people are the ones who THINK, SAY, and DO what THEY want to THINK, SAY and DO.  They are influenced by the DESIRES of the FLESH and of the ways of this SINFUL WORLD, in which they LEAVE GOD OUT of their lives. They become SELF-ABSORBED or SELF-CENTERED.  And they are SWALLOWED-UP by the EVIL and WICKED WAYS of this CORRUPT WORLD.  They are BLINDED to the TRUTH and could care less about LIVING a CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

 

However, the Christians, the TRUE BELIEVERS, those who have TOTALLY SURRENDERED to the TENDER MERCIES of the LIVING GOD.  And have been TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING of their minds, the way they THINK.  Those who have an INTIMATE, and PRODUCTIVE INVOLVEMENT with the HOLY, RIGHTEOUS GOD, and are LIVING by FAITH and TRUSTING in GOD ALONE, will be able to TRULY EXPERIENCE a TOTAL TRANSFORMATION.  And when they do that, their THOUGHTS will come TOGETHER with God’s Thoughts, so He can BRING His PLANS into their LIVES.  God has a PURPOSE and PLAN for EACH of our LIVES.  This PURPOSE and PLAN comes to us, when we are TOTALLY SURRENDERED to God, THROUGH His ONLY SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, the ONE who GAVE His own life to SAVE mankind FROM their SINS, and to RESCUE them from a DESTINY of an ETERNAL LIFE in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once they are there. 

 

The way to be TRANSFORMED into a NEW LIVING CREATURE, is to SURRENDER ALL to your CREATOR, GOD.  And DON’T go BACK, but go FORWARD with your NEW MIND, HEART and SOUL.  Remember; You are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST. You CANNOT have a RELATIONSHIP with GOD, until you COME to JESUS.  You MUST BELIEVE that JESUS DIED for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for YOU, before God.  

You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BE WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and be TRANSFORMED into the PERSON GOD wants YOU to be.  So, do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!   Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

“A Prayer of Confidence”

 “A Prayer of Confidence”

 

LORD, you are my Strength and Fortress, my Refuge in the day of trouble!  Nations from around the world will come to You and say, “our ancestors left us a foolish heritage, for they worshiped worthless idols.  Can People make their own gods?  These are not real gods at all!”   

Jeremiah 16:19-20

 

Jeremiah is one of my favorite prophets in the Old Testament period of time.  He spoke boldly in relaying God’s Messages to the Nation of Judah.   The nation was steeped in IDOLATRY, and God was NOT HAPPY with them.  So, He told Jeremiah to warn the people that He was planning DISASTER FOR THEM.  And that they SHOULD turn away from their EVIL WAYS.  But the people refused to LISTEN to JEREMIAH.  

 

Jeremiah was OBEDIENT to God and DELIVERED His MESSAGES to the PEOPLE.  But the REJECTION of the people left Jeremiah with a HEAVY HEART.  So, he went before the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, and PRAYED for what seemed like to him, a HOPELESS situation.  Beginning his prayer with the AFFIRMATION of his TRUST in God, and with ACKNOWLEDGMENT of his CONFIDENCE in God by using the words: “You are my STRENGTH and FORTRESS, my REFUGE in the day of trouble!”  Then Jeremiah continued with the acclamation that nations from around the world will come to God and say, “our ancestors left us a foolish heritage, for they worshiped worthless idols.  Can people make their OWN gods?  These are NOT real gods at all!”  This indicated the WICKEDNESS of the people.  

 

The LORD replied: “Now I will show them My POWER, now I will show them My MIGHT.  At last, they will KNOW and UNDERSTAND that I am the LORD.”   I am SURE that MUST have BOOSTED Jeremiah’s CONFIDENCE LEVEL. The LORD GOD, KEEPS His WORD.  And so, the nation of JUDAH was in for a RECKONING, an UNDERSTANDING and KNOWLEDGE of WHO the ONE and ONLY GOD REALLY IS, and I BELIEVE it was carried out the HARD WAY!

 

I see so much of a correlation between Judah and the time in which we are living.   Some of us, are like JEREMIAH, we try HARD to be OBEDIENT to God, and to put OUR TRUST in HIM and Him ALONE.  And like the prophet, we have CONFIDENCE and TRUST in the ABILITIES of GOD.  We see Him as our STRENGTH, our FORTRESS, and our REFUGE in times of trouble.  We can come to Him, putting our TRUST in HIM and we can do this because of our CONFIDENCE in Him.  However, there are some who are like the NATION of JUDAH, they put their TRUST and CONFIDENCE in something they VALUE or someone they believe COULD do BETTER than God.  And they are FACING an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once they are there. 

 

If you are in the latter group, YOU NEED to do the following, in order to CHANGE your DESTINY:

You MUST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER, in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who SACRIFICED His LIFE, to SAVE your WRETCHED, HELL-BOUND soul.  You MUST BELIEVE that JESUS DIED for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for YOU, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and put your TRUST and CONFIDENCE in the ALMIGHTY GOD.  And ALLOW Him to be your STRENGTH, FORTRESS, and REFUGE.  And be ABLE to OFFER your PRAYERS with CONFIDENCE.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  DON’T BE LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

“Repentance and Judgment”

 “Repentance and Judgment”

 

“I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike —-the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.”   Acts 20:21

 

The Apostle Paul sent a message to the Elders at the church at Ephesus, asking them to meet with him.  When they arrived Paul declared, “You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears.  I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews.  I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes.”

 

Paul preached and taught BOLDLY, COURAGEOUSLY, and with GREAT ENDURANCE.  And with UNWAVERING FAITHFULNESS, he shared ONE MESSAGE, which was the SAME for the JEWS and GENTILES alike.  That MESSAGE was one of REPENTANCE.  The Apostle Paul KNEW the IMPORTANCE of the act of REPENTANCE, which is TURNING AWAY FROM SIN and TURNING TO GOD, and to have FAITH in the LORD JESUS CHRIST, God’s ONE and ONLY SON, and the ONLY ONE who is ABLE to SAVE the SOUL of mankind, NO MATTER if they are JEW or GENTILE, they MUST COME TO GOD through the CROSS of CHRIST, who shed HIS BLOOD in order to bring SALVATION to a LOST and DYING WORLD.  

 

So, why was Paul so DETERMINED to SUFFER PERSECUTION and RISK His LIFE FOR SHARING the GOOD NEWS of JESUS CHRIST?  Paul KNEW that those who REJECTED God’s Gift of SALVATION would one DAY face JUDGMENT for their SINFUL LIFESTYLE, and their REBELLIOUS NATURE.  He knew what awaits those who TURN FROM GOD and CONTINUE to TURN TO SIN.  

 

In the Book of Zephaniah, Chapter one, verses two and three, the LORD tells Zephaniah of the COMING JUDGMENT AGAINST the WORLD: “I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth says the LORD.  I will sweep away PEOPLE and animals alike.  I will sweep away the birds of the sky and the fish in the sea.  I will reduce the WICKED to heaps of RUBBLE, and I will WIPE HUMANITY from the face of the earth,” says the LORD. 

 

Paul KNEW this and was determined to SPREAD the GOOD NEWS to EVERY PART of the WORLD that he could.  Even if it cost him his life.  So, for those of us who are TRUE BELIEVERS, the message for us is:  To get OFF our SEATS, and on our FEET, and into the STREETS to PROCLAIM the GOOD NEWS that JESUS SAVES and He is the ONLY WAY to be able to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE once you are there. 

 

I truly BELIEVE that we are living in the LAST DAYS. I BELIEVE that the RAPTURE of ALL the TRUE BELIEVERS can happen at ANY TIME!!  Then starts the TRIBULATION, GREAT TRIBULATION, and the SECOND COMING of the LORD JESUS.  Are YOU ready?

 

If NOT, you can be by; ADMITTING that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, who PAID IN FULL the PRICE of SALVATION that YOU COULD NOT PAY.  You MUST BELIEVE that JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BE WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION through REPENTANCE and ESCAPE the JUDGMENT of the UNREPENTANT.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

 

 

 

“What Rules Your Heart?”

 “What Rules Your Heart?”

 

Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.  And let the PEACE of Christ rule in your hearts.  For as members of one body, you are called to live in PEACE.  And ALWAYS be thankful.    Colossians 3:14-15

 

LOVE is ABOVE ALL other VIRTUES.  The Apostle Paul tells us that we SHOULD CLOTHE ourselves with LOVE. This virtue BINDS us ALL in PERFECT HARMONY or PERFECT UNITY.  All TRUE BELIEVERS are a PART of the BODY of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  And therefore, we SHOULD have the LOVE of CHRIST abiding in us.  This LOVE binds us TOGETHER in PERFECT HARMONY or UNITY.  

 

Can you just imagine what it would be like, if we DID NOT have the LOVE of CHRIST in us? If we acted like some people in some of the churches of today, those who STIR UP TROUBLE, and are ALWAYS BICKERING with each other, we would bring SHAME and DISGRACE to the SON of the LIVING GOD.  The ONE who SAVED our WRETCHED souls with His OWN BLOOD.  And wants us to LOVE each other AS He LOVES us.  

 

We are to LET the PEACE of CHRIST RULE in our HEARTS, because we are CALLED to LIVE in PEACE.  And we are to ALWAYS be THANKFUL.  We should be thankful for the LOVE that we have in CHRIST for each other, and we SHOULD LET the PEACE of CHRIST RULE in our HEARTS.   Whenever we do these two things it DRAWS us CLOSER to the ALMIGHTY GOD, and His BELOVED SON.  

 

We SHOULD LOVE like JESUS LOVES and FORGIVE like JESUS FORGIVES, then we can have the LOVE and PEACE of GOD living in us.  And by YIELDING to His HOLY SPIRIT, DAILY, we can SERVE within the BODY of CHRIST in PERFECT HARMONY or UNITY.  And instead of bringing SHAME and DISGRACE to our LORD, we can bring HONOR and GLORY to His PRECIOUS NAME.  

 

Now, let us go back to our question, which is also the title of this devotion.  “What RULES Your Heart?  If you think about it and determine that YOU are ALLOWING your SINFUL NATURE to RULE your HEART, then you are bringing SHAME and DISGRACE to the LORD.  And as TRUE BELIEVERS, we will have to face the CONSEQUENCES for our UNGODLY ACTIONS. 

 

 But if you are NOT a TRUE BELIEVER, meaning you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to GOD, through His Son, you will stand in JUDGMENT before the LORD and will be sentenced to an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL it’s HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you are there.   In order to ESCAPE this kind of ETERNAL LIFE, and to be ABLE to have an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS there are some things you MUST DO:  FIRST, ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER, in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who SUFFERED, BLED, and DIED, but was RESURRECTED, in order for YOU to have ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.  And also, for YOU to EXPERIENCE the LOVE of GOD, and the PEACE of CHRIST dwelling in your heart.  You MUST BELIEVE that JESUS DIED for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to HIM and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and LOVE and LET the PEACE of CHRIST RULE your HEART.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!   Don’t be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

 

“Continue to Believe the Truth”

 “Continue to Believe the Truth”

 

But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it.  Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.  The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul have been appointed as God’s Servant to proclaim it.  Colossians 1:23

 

Some of you may be thinking: “What TRUTH?”  It is the TRUTH that will set mankind FREE from their SINFUL LIVES and give them an ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN with ALL its BLESSINGS.  It is the TRUTH of GOD’S HOLY WORD.  And it is the TRUTH concerning GOD’S PERFECT PLAN for the SALVATION of MANKIND.  

 

Let’s start with the BEGINNING.  FIRST, let’s LOOK at who His ONLY SON TRULY IS.  JESUS CHRIST is the VISIBLE IMAGE of the INVISIBLE GOD.  Meaning that He existed before ANYTHING was created and is SUPERLATIVE over ALL creation.  And through Him God created EVERYTHING in the heavenly realms and on earth.  He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see.  EVERYTHING was created THROUGH Him and FOR Him.  He EXISTED before ANYTHING else, and HE holds ALL creation TOGETHER.  JESUS CHRIST is also the HEAD of the UNSEEN CHURCH, which is His BODY.   He is the BODY.  He is SUPREME over ALL who RISE from the DEAD.  So, He is FIRST in EVERYTHING.  

 

It PLEASED God, in ALL His FULLNESS, to LIVE in Christ, and through Him God RECONCILED EVERYTHING to HIMSELF.  He made PEACE with EVERYTHING in Heaven and on Earth by means of CHRIST’S BLOOD on the CROSS.  JESUS, who is GOD in the FLESH, GAVE UP His LIFE to SAVE YOUR LIFE and MINE TOO.  And He ACCOMPLISHED the WILL of GOD for the REDEMPTION of ALL MANKIND by the SHEDDING of His PRECIOUS BLOOD.  

 

The Apostle Paul was talking to the CHRISTIANS in COLOSSE.  And it was His desire that they would NOT DRIFT AWAY FROM the ASSURANCE that they received when they HEARD the GOOD NEWS. At that time, they were being led astray with FALSE DOCTRINES.  So, Paul is ENCOURAGING THEM to STAND-FAST in what they FIRST BELIEVED and don’t DRIFT AWAY from the TRUTH.  

 

  Paul told them that, the GOOD NEWS had been PREACHED all over the WORLD, and He (PAUL) had been appointed as God’s Servant to proclaim it.  And WE, who have GIVEN our HEART and LIFE to GOD, has ALSO been APPOINTED by God to PROCLAIM the GOOD NEWS to this WICKED, CORRUPT, VILE world. Have YOU received this GOOD NEWS?  If you think NOT, your wrong, because I just SHARED IT with You.  JESUS, who is GOD In the FLESH, GAVE HIS LIFE to SAVE your soul from an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE once you are there.   

 

Now that you KNOW the TRUTH of the GOOD NEWS, what will you do with it?  Will you REJECT it, by ignoring what has been shared with you? If this is your decision, then your DESTINY is not such GOOD NEWS.  BUT YOU can CHANGE that NOW!  If you will ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  And BELIEVE the TRUTH that He DIED for YOU and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you before God.  You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.   YOU MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  And you MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and CONTINUE to BELIEVE the TRUTH.   Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

“God, the Strength of My Heart “

 “God, the Strength of My Heart”

 

Whom have I in Heaven but you?  I desire you more than anything on earth.  My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever.   Psalm 73:25-26

 

The man who wrote this Psalm, is Asaph, and Asaph wrote many of the psalms.  This PARTICULAR one was dealing with the problem that a lot of us experience from time to time.   And that is ENVY, Asaph, confessed that he ENVIED the PROUD when he saw them prosper despite their wickedness. They seemed to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong.  They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.  (VV3-5).

 

After a period of time, Asaph realized that his HEART was BITTER, and it was causing him much DISTRESS.  He confessed that he was FOOLISH and IGNORANT—- he said to God, “I must have seemed like a senseless animal to You.”  So, he came to this conclusion: “Yet I STILL belong to YOU; You hold my right hand.  You guide me with Your Counsel, leading me to a GLORIOUS DESTINY.  Whom have I in Heaven but You?  I DESIRE YOU MORE than anything on this earth.  Asaph realized what his DESTINY would be and felt ashamed that he had ENVIED the PROUD, whose destiny was DISASTROUS.  

 

 In verse nineteen, Asaph comes to this realization:  That the WICKED would be on a SLIPPERY PATH and slide over a cliff to DESTRUCTION, which means that those who REMAIN in their sins and continue in their WICKEDNESS will slide right into the very pit of HELL with ALL its HORRORS and they will have NO WAY to ESCAPE, once they are there.  

 

Asaph, says: “My health may FAIL, and my SPIRIT may grow WEAK, but GOD REMAINS the STRENGTH of MY HEART; HE is MINE FOREVER.” When this life is over, GOD will take the RIGHTEOUS UP TO GLORY, and the WICKED will be swept away into their FINAL DESTINY of an ETERNITY in HELL.   Asaph realized that The ALMIGHTY GOD was the STRENGTH of his HEART and EVERYTHING to him.  REGARDLESS of the PLEASURES that the WICKED receive in this life, Asaph, along with ALL TRUE BELIEVERS, have the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, and an ETERNITY in HEAVEN with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Is this YOUR GLORIOUS DESTINY?  OR are you facing the DISASTROUS DESTINY with ALL its HORRORS?

 

If you are on that SLIPPERY SLOPE, headed for an ETERNITY in HELL with ALL its HORRORS.   You NEED to KNOW that GOD LOVES YOU, and He wants YOU to become a PART of His Family.  And for you to have a GLORIOUS DESTINY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  You are running out of time, so do this NOW:  ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER, in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, GOD’S ONLY SON, who SUFFERED, BLED, DIED, and RESURRECTED from DEATH and the GRAVE, to SAVE YOU FROM an ETERNITY in HELL.  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 CONFESS your SINS to HIM and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and OPEN your HEART to Him and allow Him to become the STRENGTH of your HEART.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.   He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t be LEFT BEHIND!!!“

“ALWAYS Pray and NEVER Give Up “

 “ALWAYS Pray and NEVER Give Up”

 

One day Jesus told His disciples a story to show that they should ALWAYS pray and NEVER give up.   Luke 18:1

 

This is the PARABLE (story) that Jesus told His disciples: “There was a judge in a certain city, He said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people.  A widow of that city came to him REPEATEDLY, saying, “Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.  The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy.  I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

 

Then the Lord Jesus told His disciples; “LEARN a LESSON from this UNJUST judge.  Even though he was UNJUST, he carried out a JUST decision in the end.  Then the Lord asked them, “So don’t you think God will surely give JUSTICE to His Chosen People who cry out to Him DAY and NIGHT?  Will He keep putting them off?  I tell you; He will GRANT JUSTICE to them QUICKLY!”  

 

The ONE thing that prompted the UNJUST JUDGE, who did NOT FEAR God nor RESPECT people, was the PESTERING of the widow who ALWAYS presented her PETITION to him and was PERSISTENT in her mission for JUSTICE.  She DID NOT GIVE UP!  Like the widow, our PERSISTENCE in our PRAYER TIME, indicates our TRUST in the ONLY ONE who can RENDER a JUST DECISION.  He is FAITHFUL and JUST to His OWN.  He CARES about the THINGS that brings us HEARTACHE and DESPAIR.  He LISTENS to our PLEAS and ANSWERS when it is the RIGHT TIME!  And it is IMPORTANT for His Children to have FAITH and TRUST in Him to bring them the BEST RESULT.  

 

In this PARABLE Jesus taught that GOD SHOULD NOT BE PESTERED, by PRAYER, but that those who PRAY, His OWN, Should PRAY CONSISTENTLY, PERSISTENTLY, and EXPECTANTLY.  PRAYING this way will bring ANSWERS.  Maybe not as SOON as you want or expect, but they will come at JUST THE RIGHT TIME.

 

Jesus asked this question; “When the Son of Man returns, how many will He find on the earth who have FAITH?”  This question was like “FOOD for THOUGHT”. He wanted them to be FAITHFUL in PRAYER and to NOT GIVE UP, but to be CONSISTENT and TRUST in GOD for the ANSWERS.  Now, for those who are NOT the CHILDREN of GOD, there is a PROBLEM.  God does not hear your prayers, UNTIL YOU PRAY for FORGIVENESS, and a WILLINGNESS to ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST as your SAVIOR and LORD, then He will HEAR and ANSWER your PRAYERS.  

 

So, in order to be able to PRAY to GOD and have your PRAYERS ANSWERED, here are some things you MUST DO.  First, YOU MUST ADMIT that you are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, God’s ONLY SON, who SUFFERED, BLED, DIED, and was RESURRECTED from DEATH and the GRAVE.  YOU MUST BELIEVE that JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for YOU, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  YOU MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  YOU MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and ALWAYS PRAY and NEVER GIVE UP!!!  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!! Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

“The Anchor”

 “The Anchor”

 

This HOPE is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.  It leads us through the curtain into God’s Inner Sanctuary.  Jesus has already gone in there for us.  He has become our ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST in the order of Melchizedek.   Hebrews 6:19-20

 

Sometimes we find ourselves in situations that causes ANGUISH and HEARTACHE.  Some of these things may be the result of our OWN DOING.  So, how can we SURVIVE these SITUATIONS and end up on the RIGHT SIDE of each situation we encounter??

 

The writer of Hebrews, and particularly this CHAPTER, is giving us HOPE that is STRONG and TRUSTWORTHY, and an ANCHOR for our souls.  God had made a PROMISE to ABRAHAM, and to give ABRAHAM HOPE, GOD SEALED the PROMISE with an OATH.  God’s Word is TRUTHFUL and that means that it is IMPOSSIBLE for GOD to LIE, and not ONLY was it IMPOSSIBLE for God to LIE, but the impossibility was also supported by two UNCHANGEABLE things: The PROMISE and the OATH, and these two UNCHANGEABLE THINGS, SHOULD ENCOURAGE those who will take HOLD of the HOPE.

 

The author of Hebrews gives us a picture of this STRONG and TRUSTWORTHY HOPE, by taking us to a SAFE HARBOR, where the BATTERED and TROUBLED SOUL may drop ANCHOR, which was carried to the REFUGE POINT that was the SAFEST OF ALL.  This PLACE OF REFUGE is the INNER SANCTUARY that was behind the curtain and our ANCHOR which is JESUS CHRIST, our LORD and SAVIOR, who went before us, and made a WAY for us to have FELLOWSHIP with the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY.   

 

The LORD JESUS entered the Heavenly Sanctuary where He carries out His functions as a HIGH PRIEST FOREVER. And this gives a TRUE BELIEVER’S HOPE an ANCHOR that CANNOT be SHAKEN LOOSE.  It is a HOPE that is SURE, and we can HOLD ON to it STEADFASTLY right to the VERY END.  Do YOU have such a HOPE and a SECURE ANCHOR?

 

If your answer is NO, you can CHANGE it to YES!  And be ASSURED of a STRONG and TRUSTWORTHY HOPE, which is an ANCHOR for your SOUL.  The ONLY WAY to be able to do this is FIRST, ADMIT that you are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS, the ONLY SON of the LIVING GOD, who SUFFERED, BLED, and DIED for your SINFUL SOUL.  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.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a REPENTANT HEART. Then you MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION. And possess a HOPE that is a STRONG and TRUSTWORTHY ANCHOR and START having a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with the EVERLASTING GOD.  And spend your ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS!!!  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!