"Testimony of a TRUE BELIEVER"

“Testimony of a TRUE BELIEVER”

 

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. “     Acts 20:24

 

These are the words of the Apostle Paul.  He was speaking to the elders of the church in Ephesus.  He had just told them that he was compelled by the Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to him, however, he says that the Holy Spirit has warned him that prison and hardships are facing him.   Yet KNOWING what could lie ahead of him, it does NOT deter him from his mission of taking the GOOD NEWS to a LOST and DYING world, at ANY COST.

 

Paul says that he considers his life NOTHING to him.  His determination was to see PRECIOUS SOULS SNATCHED from the FIRES of Hell, and brought into the GLORIES of Heaven, even at the RISK of his own life.  Paul had the ASSURANCE that his DESTINY would be an ETERNITY in Heaven, and that he had NOTHING to LOSE, but EVERYTHING to GAIN.    

 

He was DETERMINED to FINISH the RACE, and to COMPLETE the task that the Lord Jesus had given him.  Even if it cost him his life.  He was WILLING to RISK his life for the SALVATION of LOST SOULS. I think of the many people who have not only RISKED their lives, but have GIVEN their lives in order to bring some to the SAVING KNOWLEDGE of Jesus Christ.  Do you and I have that kind of DETERMINATION, knowing that there are those who are dying, every day, WITHOUT CHRIST?  We too, like Paul, have the MISSION or TASK of TESTIFYING about the GOOD NEWS of God’s AMAZING GRACE.

 

Are you WILLING to make some SACRIFICES, in order to bring SALVATION to LOST and DYING SOULS, by SHARING the GOOD NEWS about God’s AMAZING GRACE?  If you are one of the LOST and DYING SOULS, you are HEADED for an ETERNITY in Hell, unless you are WILLING to 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 share YOUR TESTIMONY of God’s UNFAILING LOVE, and AMAZING GRACE, to those, you KNOW are LOST and on their way to HELL with ALL its HORRORS.  Be a LIGHT in their DARKNESS.   Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Almighty God"

“The Almighty God’

 

There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.    Proverbs 21:30

 

What human mind has the WISDOM to CREATE a whole UNIVERSE?  And with that WISDOM, STEP OUT INTO THE BLACKNESS OF NOTHINGNESS and create this UNIVERSE, with a planet that can sustain plant, animal, and human LIFE.  Or CREATE the human body with a mind that functions AMAXINGLY.   WHO ELSE, but the ALMIGHTY GOD!  He is a SOVEREIGN, ALL-WISE GOD.  There is NO WISDOM that can SUCCEED AGAINST Him.

 

He is OMNISCIENT or ALL-KNOWING.  He KNOWS ALL THINGS.   He KNOWS what you are going to THINK, SAY, and DO, WAY BEFORE you THINK, SAY or DO it.   He has EXTREME INSIGHT into the intentions of the HEART, of EVERY PERSON.  He CREATED INSIGHT!  Who else can have such KNOWLEDGE and INSIGHT, but the ALMIGHTY GOD!  There is NO INSIGHT that can SUCCEED AGAINST Him.

 

He is the ONE who has THE ONLY PLAN for the SALVATION of the Crown of His CREATION, MANKIND.  Without HIS PLAN, ALL mankind would SURELY PERISH.   But because of HIS UNFAILING, UNENDING LOVE, ABUNDANT MERCY, and AMAZING GRACE, HE has the PLAN to SAVE MANKIND from an ETERNITY in Hell.  The place of UNENDING, INTENSE HATRED, TORMENT, TORTURE, HEARTACHE, MISERY, AGONY, PAIN, and DESPAIR, with NO WAY of ESCAPE.   His PLAN is for you to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus, God’s ONLY SON, died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and receive the BENEFITS of the WISDOM, INSIGHT, and the PLAN of the ALMIGHTY GOD!  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Demonstrating Our Faith"

“Demonstrating Our Faith”

 

We wait in hope for the Lord’ He is our help and our shield.

May Your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in You.

Psalm 33:20, 22

 

How can others know about your RELATIONSHIP with the Lord God Almighty?  Maybe by your WORDS, or ACTIONS, and maybe by your THOUGHTS that are conveyed through your WORDS and ACTIONS.  This Psalm is one of my favorites, because it talks about God’s UNFAILING LOVE and His FAITHFULNESS to His Children. 

 

This Psalm tells us that we SHOULD PRAISE HIM, because His WORD is TRUTHFUL and DEPENDABLE, and His Works are RIGHTEOUS and JUST.   And His LOVE is UNFAILING towards those who belong to Him.  Here are some ways that we can DEMONSTRATE our FAITH.

 

First, we can DEMONSTRATE our FAITH by our PERSERVERANCE, hanging on when times are ROUGH, NOT giving in, But WAITING and TRUSTING God to be our HELP and our SHIELD.  DEPENDING on Him and NOTHING or NOBODY else to DELIVER us from our iniquities, which hinder us in our DAILY WALK with Him. 

 

Secondly, we can DEMONSTRATE our FAITH by REJOICING in our HEARTS to the ONE, in whose Holy Name we CAN TRUST.  The very one who forms the HEARTS of mankind, and considers EVERYTHING they do.  We can TRUST Him to FULFILL His promises, and to complete His work of SALVATION.

 

Thirdly, we can DEMONSTRATE our FAITH by PRAYING that His UNFAILING LOVE, be upon us, for ALL of our days, as we put our FAITH and HOPE in Him. 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then your FAITH is in SOMEONE or SOMETHING else, other than the ALMIGHTY GOD.  Can you TRUTHFULLY say, without ANY doubts that you can TRUST and HOPE in that SOMEONE or SOMETHING to DELIVER you from Hell with ALL of its HORRORS?  If you believe they can, then WHO or WHAT will DELIVER them?  NO ONE has the POWER over DEATH and HELL, but the ALMIGHTY GOD.  And if you are DEPENDING on SOMEONE OR SOMETHING ELSE, you are DOOMED to AN ETERNITY in Hell, with NO WAY of ESCAPE, and the ONLY WAY for you to ESCAPE Hell, is to 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 and GAIN HEAVEN, and DEMONSTRATE your FAITH to others.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

"Being Kept Blameless"

“Being Kept Blameless”

 

May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.  May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.       1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

 

It was the Apostle Paul’s desire for the TRUE BELIEVERS in Thessalonica, to REALIZE that God, Himself, the God of PEACE, was ABLE to SANCTIFY them through and through.  The word, “SANCTIFY” means “set apart.”  Paul was giving them ENCOURAGEMENT in the aspect that God HIMSELF, would SANCTIFY or set them apart for His service.  However, they would not reach complete SANCTIFICATION until they reach their Heavenly Home.   

 

Another thing that was a desire of Paul’s was that they would be “KEPT BLAMELESS at the C0MING of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.   Paul indicated that his wish was for their WHOLE SPIRIT, SOUL and BODY to be KEPT BLAMELESS, INWARDLY and OUTWARDLY.  The SPIRIT of man is the part of mankind that enables them to COMMUNICATE with God.  The SOUL of man is the part that makes mankind conscious of themselves, and it is the seat of their personality.  The BODY, is of course, the physical part through which the person is able to express themselves.  The SPIRIT and SOUL is the INWARD parts of mankind, and the BODY is the OUTWARD part.  It was Paul’s desire that the TRUE BELIEVERS would be KEPT BLAMELESS in their RELATIONSHIP with the ALMIGHTY GOD, until the RETURN of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

 

The same God, who CALLS us to REPENTANCE is FAITHFUL and ABLE to KEEP the TRUE BELIEVER BLAMELESS, and He will do it by the POWER of His Holy Spirit, who indwells each BELIEVER at the time of their CONVERSION.  They are not left alone to work on their own merits, but they can RELY on the HELP and GUIDANCE of the Holy Spirit of the LIVING GOD, who WILL NOT FAIL them.  

 

When a TRUE BELIEVER sins, it is up to them to CONFESS their sins, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.   The Word of God 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.”  (1 John 1:9)   Will you be found BLAMELESS at the COMING of the LORD JESUS CHRIST?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you will be found GUILTY and will be sentenced to an ETERNITY in HELL with ALL of its HORRORS.  But God in His GREAT MERCY and AMAZING GRACE, is offering you the opportunity NOW, to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful 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.  The ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be KEPT BLAMELESS, until the COMING of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  Do this NOW, while you still can, where you spend your ETERNITY depends on it.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"A Proclamation of Praise"

“A Proclamation of Praise”

 

Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into His glorious presence without a single fault.  All glory to Him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord.  All glory, majesty, power and authority are His before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time!  Amen.      Jude 1:24-25

 

In this small epistle of Jude, he is warning his readers, the Saints of God, to BEWARE of APOSTASY, the FALLING away from their FAITH in their Holy God.  He WARNS them of the PERILS of APOSTASY, in verses 5-16.   He gives them INSTRUCTIONS on how to AVOID APOSTASY, in verses 17-23, and he instructs them how to have VICTORY over the APOSTASY, in verses 24-25.  I would suggest that you read the ENTIRE short epistle.  It would be BENEFICIAL to your SPIRITUAL growth, and help STRENGHTEN your FAITH.  APOSTASY is the falling away from what you once believed or from your FAITH.  It is carried out by APOSTATES, false teachers, those who do not teach or preach the TRUTH, and can cause REAL PROBLEMS in a person’s SPIRITUAL life.    This is why it is SO IMPORTANT to KNOW what the WORD of GOD says, and to be taught the TRUTH of it. 

 

But Jude does NOT end on a negative note.  He ENCOURAGES people with the words of our text, today.  He tells us that we can have VICTORY over the APOSTASY.  He tells us that there is ONE who can keep us from FALLING AWAY, which is GOD, Himself, and not only will He keep us from FALLING AWAY,  He will bring us, with GREAT JOY, and without a single fault, into His GLORIOUS presence. 

 

Jude attributes ALL GLORY, to God, and to Him ALONE, through our SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  ALL GLORY, MAJESTY, POWER, and AUTHORITY are His, and was BEFORE ALL TIME, and is NOW, in the PRESENT, and will be IN ETERNITY, BEYOND ALL TIME.  This is GREAT ASSURANCE for the BELIEVER. 

 

This is the GREATEST PROCLAMATION of PRAISE and ADORATION for the ONLY ONE, who can SAVE and KEEP His Children from FALLING AWAY from their FAITH and into the cesspool of APOSTASY.   Where are you?  Are you DEPENDING on Christ Jesus to SAVE and KEEP you, NOW and throughout ETERNITY?  OR are you DROWNING in the CESSPOOL of APOSTASY, LIES AND DECEPTIONS, which is pulling you toward HELL with ALL of its HORRORS, for ALL of ETERNITY, without a WAY of ESCAPE.  If you want to be RESCUED, 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 have VICTORY over the APOSTASY, and ESCAPE Hell, and GAIN HEAVEN.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"Knowing God's Will and Pleasing Him"

“Knowing God’s Will and Pleasing Him”

 

That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.        Colossians 1:10-12

 

To be WORTHY of the Lord, one MUST be EQUAL to the Lord’s STANDARDS.  When a person is SAVED they will TRULY GIVE their HEART and LIFE to God.  Then they will begin their WALK with the Lord, as a NEW CREATURE, OLD things are gone, and ALL THINGS become NEW.   They will experience a TRANSFORMATION of CHARACTER.  They will work at becoming Christ-like in their being.  They will become HOLY as He is HOLY.

 

They can accomplish this by:  FULLY PLEASING God.  In order to PLEASE God, they MUST be FRUITFUL in EVERY good work.  They MUST produce FRUIT through their personal testimony of their FAITHFULNESS to God.  When they WORK at this, they will GROW in their FAITH more and more. And they will develop a DEEPER KNOWLEDGE of God. 

 

Another way to PLEASE GOD is SPIRITUAL STRENGTH, which comes from KNOWING GOD’S will and PLEASING Him.  They can accomplish this SPIRITUAL STRENGTH by; ALLOWING God’s GLORIOUS POWER to work in them, by the WORK of the HOLY SPIRIT, which indwells them. 

 

This SPIRITUAL STRENGTH will produce GREAT ENDURANCE and  PATIENCE, which gives them the WILL to NOT GIVE UP, or NOT to ACT HASTILY, but to be LONG-SUFFERING and CALM, while in the midst of turmoil and strife. 

 

The Apostle Paul indicates that the TRUE BELIEVER should, “Give THANKS in ALL circumstances.  Then they can become PARTAKERS, with other saints, in the INHERITANCE that has been laid up for them, in Heaven.  Is this YOUR destiny?

 

Or are you HEADED for an ETERNITY in HELL, the place of UNENDING, torment, torture, heartache, pain, agony and despair?  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then this is YOUR destiny.  Because, you are NOT PLEASING to Him.  You are NOT one of His TRUE CHILDREN.  But you could be, if you will TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and 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 KNOW GOD’S WILL by PLEASING HIM.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Crucified with Christ"

“Crucified with Christ”

 

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

 

After Paul’s conversion, he KNEW that LIVING and DEPENDING on the works of the Law for his spiritual livelihood would be futile.  It was his innermost desire to be identified with Christ, as it should be with EVERY TRUE BELIEVER.

 

Even though the death of the Lord Jesus Christ was UNIQUE in every way.  It was and is the ONLY WAY and He is the ONLY ONE, who can SAVE mankind from their sins.  However, when a person comes to Christ for their SALVATION, they ARE and WILL be IDENTIFYING with Him, and by FAITH in HIS SAVING POWER, they are CRUCIFIED with Him, because they DIE to their OLD, SINFUL, LIFESTYLE, and they are RESURRECTED to a NEW RIGHTEOUS LIFESTYLE.  This does NOT mean that they become PERFECT, but they are FORGIVEN.  This is exemplified by the act of BAPTISM. 

 

Christ lives in the TRUE BELIEVER, by the person of the HOLY SPIRIT, who comes and indwells them at the time of their conversion.   The NEW life they live is lived by FAITH in the RISEN, LIVING Lord, because He died for them, they SHOULD LIVE for Him.

 

Now, this does NOT mean that the TRUE BELIEVER will NOT struggle with suffering, sin, and death.  As long as they live in the flesh they will be subjected to the effects of this WRETCHED, SINFUL World, until Christ returns to take His people home.   However they have a Helper, the Holy Spirit, who will GUIDE and EQUIP them in EVERY situation.

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and life to God, then you are living a DOOMED LIFE, and are headed for an ETERNITY in HELL, the place of ETERNAL torment, torture, heartache, pain, agony, and despair, with NO WAY of ESCAPE.  Like the Apostle Paul, you MUST identify with CHRIST, by dying to your OLD, SINFUL lifestyle, and being RESURRECTED to a NEW LIFE in Christ.  

 

You do that by:  TURNING AWAY FROM your OLD, 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 live a NEW LIFE in CHRIST.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!