“The Curse or the Blessing

 “The Curse or the Blessing?”

 

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law.  When He was hung on the cross, He took upon Himself the curse for our wrongdoing.  For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”  Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing He promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the Promised Holy Spirit through faith.   Galatians 3:13-14

 

There are many people who have the mindset that as long as a PERSON is GOOD and does GOOD THINGS they will get into HEAVEN, and be able to ESCAPE HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE once they are there.  However, the APOSTLE PAUL tells us that that is NOT THE CASE!! 

In verse ten, Paul tells us that; those who depend on the LAW to make them RIGHT with God are under His CURSE. In Hab. 2:4, it says this:  “Look at the PROUD!  They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked.  But the RIGHTEOUS will live by their FAITHFULNESS to God.”  And in Paul’s letter to the EPHESIANS, he tells them:  “God SAVED YOU by HIS GRACE when you BELIEVED.  And you can’t take credit for this; it is a GIFT from GOD.  SALVATION is NOT a REWARD for the GOOD THINGS we have done, so NONE of us can boast about it.  For WE are GOD’S MASTERPIECE.  He has CREATED us anew in CHRIST JESUS, so WE CAN do the GOOD THINGS He has planned for us LONG AGO.  (Eph. 2:8-10)

So, there is NOTHING we DO that will bring us into a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with GOD, only through your FAITH in the SUFFERING, the SHED BLOOD, the DEATH and the RESURRECTION of GOD’S ONLY SON, JESUS CHRIST, who GAVE His LIFE to REDEEM us FROM ALL our SINS.  HE IS the ONLY WAY.  NO MATTER what you may DO, or HOW MUCH MONEY you give.  You are CURSED by GOD if you REJECT His SON, and REFUSE to BELIEVE in His SACRIFICE for ALL MANKIND. 

Are YOU living by the CURSE (the LAW) or by the BLESSING (God’s Grace)?  There is ONLY ONE WAY to RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, and that is by:  1.  ADMITTING that you are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who GAVE His LIFE to SAVE your SOUL.  2.  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.  3.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to HIM and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  4.  You MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  5. You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and  LIVE  ACCORDING to HIS PURPOSE.  Do this NOW, while you STILL CAN.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!! Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

“God Takes Care of His Own”

 “God Takes Care of His Own”

 

It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich.  For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the LORD takes care of the godly.    Psalm 37:16-17

 

This Psalm of King David gives us a pretty good comparison of the GODLY and the WICKED. In our verses today we see the comparison of the ALMIGHTY GOD’S JUDGMENT on the WICKED and the GODLY.   In verse ten, David tells us that : “Soon the WICKED will DISAPPEAR. Though you look for them, they will be GONE.”  Verse eleven says;  “The LOWLY will POSSESS the land and will live in PEACE and PROSPERITY.”

The differences between the WICKED and the GODLY indicates WHO they SERVE.  The WICKED follow the LEADERSHIP of Satan, and the GODLY follow the LEADERSHIP of GOD.  Today, we who belong to GOD, through our ACCEPTANCE of His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, as our SAVIOR and LORD, follow the LEADERSHIP of the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD. 

Those who follow Satan, will possess the same attributes  he does.  And they will carry out their WICKED DEEDS.  Verse twelve tells us that:  “The WICKED plot AGAINST the GODLY; they SNARL at them in DEFIANCE.  Verse fourteen says:  “The WICKED draw their SWORDS and string their BOWS to KILL the POOR and the OPPRESSED to SLAUGHTER those who do RIGHT.  Verse fifteen:  “But their SWORDS will STAB their own HEARTS and their bows will be BROKEN.”  And they will FALL by their OWN schemes.  The WICKED are like flowers in a field—they will disappear like SMOKE. (V20)

However, verse eighteen says:  “Day by day the LORD takes care of the GODLY, and they will RECEIVE an INHERITANCE that LASTS FOREVER.”  Verse 19: They will NOT be DISGRACED in HARD TIMES ; even in famine they will have MORE than ENOUGH.”  “The LORD directs the STEPS of the GODLY.  He DELIGHTS in EVERY DETAIL of their lives.  Though they STUMBLE, they will NEVER fall, for the LORD holds them by the HAND.” (V23-24)

To be able to be one of the GODLY and to FOLLOW the LEADERSHIP of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and POSSESS an INHERITANCE that will LAST throughout ETERNITY.  Here are some things that YOU MUST DO :  You MUST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST the ONE and ONLY SON of the LIVING GOD.  The ONE who SUFFERED, BLED, DIED, and was RESURRECTED from DEATH and the GRAVE.  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 life-style, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION, and ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY TO ESCAPE once you are there.  And ACCEPT an ETERNAL INHERITANCE, which includes an 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!!!

 

“Be Strong and Courageous”

 “Be Strong and Courageous”

 

Love the LORD, all you godly ones!  For the LORD protects those who are loyal to Him, but He harshly punishes the arrogant.  So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the LORD!  Psalm 31: 23-24

 

We all face difficult situations from one time or another. But King David, knew the God, he placed his HOPE and TRUST in.  David knew of God’s AWESOME POWER, and he put his HOPE and TRUST in the ALMIGHTY GOD to RESCUE HIM.  And he realized that his LIFE was in GOD’S MIGHTY HANDS.  And being certain of his RESCUE, David was ABLE to put his HOPE and TRUST in God, because of the NATURE of God.

Verse nineteen is an indication of God’s LOVING NATURE.  “How GREAT is the GOODNESS you have stored up for those who fear you.”  Because David experienced GOD’S UNFAILING LOVE, he could put his HOPE and TRUST in Him.

So, David exhorts all the FELLOW WORSHIPERS, to include, the TRUE BELIEVERS, those of TODAY who have GIVEN their HEART and LIFE to JESUS CHRIST, who, because of God’s LOVE, SHED His OWN BLOOD to REDEEM MANKIND. Therefore, we NEED to be STRONG and COURAGEOUS, because the LORD GOD PROTECTS those who are LOYAL to HIM. And this is made POSSIBLE, ONLY through the SHED BLOOD of GOD’S ONLY SON, JESUS!

This does NOT mean that we will be COMPLETELY FREE of DIFFICULT SITUATIONS, but we can DEPEND on the ONLY ONE, who can get us THROUGH and can bring us PEACE and CALM in the MIDST of the STORMS we will face in this LIFE. 

Therefore, we can be STRONG and COURAGEOUS by placing our HOPE and TRUST in the LORD JESUS CHRIST, GOD’S ONLY SON, who SUFFERED, BLED, DIED, and was RESURRECTED from the GRAVE.  The ONE who is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE. The ONLY WAY to EXPERIENCE GOD’S UNFAILING LOVE, and to be ABLE to spend your ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS and to ESCAPE HELL with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE once you are there.

In order to have a BETTER LIFE, you MUST COME to GOD, by way of the CROSS of CHRIST. And  you MUST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER, in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.  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 be STRONG and COURAGEOUS in your FAITH.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!