“The Wages or the Gift”

“The Wages or the Gift”

 

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is Eternal Life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

 

This verse of Scripture is familiar with MANY Christians.  This verse is used a lot of times as a witnessing tool. But I want you to know that the Apostle Paul was writing to the BELIEVERS in Rome. 

If you notice, the verse begins with an illustration of God’s MERCY:  REMEMBER: MERCY is not getting what the BELIEVER deserves.  They will not receive the WAGES of SIN, because ALL their SINS are FORGIVEN, they are REMOVED as FAR as the EAST is from the WEST.  And they are COVERED by the SOUL-CLEANSING BLOOD of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

The WAGES of SIN is DEATH, this is talking about an ETERNAL DEATH.  It is an ETERNAL LIFE IN HELL, SEPARATED from the ALMIGHTY GOD and if you are a TRUE BELIEVER, this will NOT happen to you, because you BELONG to GOD. 

Now, as a TRUE BELIEVER, if you fall BACK into SIN, it SEPARATES you from FELLOWSHIP with GOD.  And it robs you of your JOY and God’s WILL for your life. It will bring you what you have earned: MISERY, WEAKNESS, HEARTACHE, GUILTINESS, SICKNESS, and sometimes even PHYSICAL DEATH.

But as a TRUE BELIEVER you will receive the GIFT of GOD, which is His GRACE: It is getting what you DON’T DESERVE, which is ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.  And NOBODY can take it AWAY from you, EVER!

A TRUE BELIEVER will SIN, because of their SINFUL NATURE, which we ALL have from birth.  But the TRUE BELIEVER has the Holy Spirit ABIDING in them, And He will CONVICT them of their sin.  Then they NEED to CONFESS their sin with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  And be ON GUARD, to KEEP it FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. 

So, which is it??  Are you a SLAVE to your SINS?  Are you RECEIVING WAGES for those SINS?   OR are you a SLAVE to RIGHTEOUSNESS?  Having RECEIVED GOD’S GIFT of ETERNAL LIFE?  God’s Gift is ETERNAL, and NOBODY or NOTHING can take it AWAY from YOU, the TRUE BELIEVER.

Here is what you MUST DO to RECEIVE GOD’S GIFT.  You MUST ADMIT that you are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, who GAVE His LIFE to SAVE your WRETCHED SOUL from an ETERNAL LIFE 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 try with ALL your MIGHT to LIVE for HIM.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  HE’S WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

 

 

“Working Out Your Salvation”

 “Working Out Your Salvation”

 

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—-continue to WORK OUT your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His Good Purpose.            Philippians 2:12-13

 

These verses may be some of the MOST POWERFUL in the New Testament.  And they are often quoted yet they are misunderstood.  The Apostle Paul was intent on the believers’ SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT, and GROWTH.  So, he told them to WORK OUT their own SALVATION.  

Notice that little three letter word: OUT, it’s NOT the little three letter word FOR.  Paul is NOT telling them to WORK FOR their SALVATION, but to WORK OUT, their SALVATION.  That’s because SALVATION can NOT be OBTAINED by OUR OWN WORKS. SALVATION is by GRACE through FAITH in the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  What PAUL was getting at was that they were to PUT their SALVATION to WORK by using their ACTIONS and MINDSET. 

They were to WORK OUT THEIR SALVATION with FEAR and TREMBLING. To FEAR God is to take Him SERIOUSLY.  We SHOULD ALSO HONOR God in our decision making, at any cost, so He will be GLORIFIED.  And He brings situations into our lives that requires us to “WORK-OUT our SALVATION, so that we may GAIN a HIGH REVERENCE for Him, and to put HIS WILL over our own. 

Both the DEVINE ENABLEMENT and HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY working together will get God’s Work done.  The TRUE BELIEVERS and GOD partner together, and this gets GOD’S WORK done. 

Are you a TRUE BELIEVER?  Do you WORK OUT your SALVATION?  DO YOU PARTNER with God to ACCOMPLISH HIS GOOD WORK and HIS GOOD PURPOSE?  So, the LORD JESUS can look at you and say “WELL DONE, My GOOD and FAITHFUL SERVANT!!

If you have NOT GIVEN your HEART and LIFE to God, through His ONLY SON, Jesus Christ, who SHED His OWN BLOOD and DIED, in order for YOU to escape HELL and to GAIN an ETERNITY in HEAVEN.  And He finished that plan with His RESURRECTION from DEATH and the GRAVE.  So, you REALLY NEED to ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR.  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 get BUSY WORKING OUT, NOT FOR your SALVATION!!   Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

“Praise the LORD!”

 “Praise the LORD!’

 

Praise the LORD!  For He has heard my cry for mercy.  The LORD is my Strength and Shield.  I trust Him with ALL my HEART.  He helps me, and my heart is filled with JOY.  I burst out in songs of THANKSGIVING.   Psalm 28:6-7

 

The dictionary tells us that one meaning for PRAISE is the OFFERING of GRATEFUL homage in WORDS or SONG, as an act of WORSHIP.

In about two more weeks AMERICANS all around the world, will be gathering together, to share a meal and enjoy the FELLOWSHIP of friends and family. It’s a VERY FESTIVE time.  A time of seeing old acquaintances and possibly making NEW ones. 

It’s a time to share some old memories about our growing up time.  And making some NEW memories.  It a time of sharing a VERY BIG meal, and truly a JOYOUS TIME for most.  But for some THANKSGIVING and CHRISTMAS. Is not so JOYOUS, for VARIOUS reasons. 

If you are a Child of the LIVING GOD, you SHOULD GIVE GOD THANKS and PRAISES for ALL He has done and for what He is GOING to DO.  Now, the FIRST thing we SHOULD be THANKFUL for is OUR SALVATION.   This Psalm was penned by King David, right away you see that he says: “PRAISE the LORD!  For He has HEARD my CRY for MERCY, now REMEMBER: MERCY means that God does NOT GIVE us what WE DESERVE, which is HELL, because GOD is HOLY and We are SINFUL. 

And since God is HOLY and we are not, we MUST BECOME HOLY as HE IS HOLY.  And the ONLY WAY we can BECOME HOLY is coming through the SHED BLOOD of GOD’S ONLY SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  And when we DO that, we also become RIGHTEOUS as HE is RIGHTEOUS.  And we are ADOPTED into His FAMILY.  Then we will have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with our HEAVENLY FATHER.  And this is SOMETHING to give GOD PRAISE for.   It is called MERCY and GRACE. MERCY:  We are NOT GETTING what we DESERVE, and GRACE: We ARE GETTING what we DON’T DESERVE under our OWN MERITS. 

The LORD gives us STRENGTH to LIVE our LIVES for HIM.  And He is our SHIELD.  Therefore, we can put ALL our TRUST in Him.  And when we do this our HEARTS become FILLED with JOY unspeakable, and FULL of GLORY.   And our HEARTS can BURST with SONGS of THANKSGIVING and PRAISE!!!

If you DON’T have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with GOD and His Son, JESUS CHRIST, you CAN, now, if YOU will ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER, in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, who GAVE His LIFE to SAVE your SINFUL SOUL. And if you will BELIEVE with ALL your HEART that JESUS DIED for YOU and that He 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 BURST OUT with SONGS of THANKSGIVING and PRAISE the LORD for HIS MERCY and GRACE.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!  

“Our Hiding Place”

 “Our Hiding Place”

 

Therefore, let all the Godly pray to You while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.  For You are my Hiding Place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.   Psalm 32:6-7

 

This Psalm was pinned by King David.  David was ENCOURAGING the GODLY people, the TRUE BELIEVERS, to PRAY to our HEAVENLY FATHER, while there is STILL time.  In the first two verses of this Psalm David talks about the JOY a TRUE BELIEVER can have when their disobedience (sins) is FORGIVEN and put OUT of SIGHT! 

David tried to HIDE his sins from God and the result was:  His body wasted away, and he groaned ALL DAY long.  And God’s Hand of Discipline weighed HEAVY on him.  And his STRENGTH EVAPORATED like water in the summer heat.  (Vv3&4)

But when David FINALLY CONFESSED ALL his SINS and GUILT to God and STOPPED trying to HIDE them from God, God FORGAVE David!  And ALL his GUILT was GONE.  David wanted to be SURE that ALL the GODLY people would PRAY and CONFESS their SINS IMMEDIATELY to God, so, they would not DROWN in the FLOODWATERS of DISTRESS and GUILT.  (Vv 5&6)

We NEED to PRAY a PRAYER of CONFESSION and REPENTANCE, WITHOUT DELAY.  The WICKED people in NOAH’S day, REFUSED to REPENT and was SWEPT AWAY in the FLOODWATERS of JUDGMENT.  Noah and his family were OBEDIENT to God’s plan and were SAVED, because they were in GOD’S HIDING PLACE. 

In verse 7, David WORSHIPS God with this: “You are my HIDING PLACE; you PROTECT me from TROUBLE. You SURROUND me with SONGS of VICTORY.”   Is God YOUR HIDING PLACE?

The ONLY WAY for Him to be your Hiding Place, is for you to become His Child, and the ONLY WAY you can do that is IF you will ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER, in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, God’s ONLY SON who GAVE His LIFE, by SHEDDING His BLOOD, to COVER your SINS.  And 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 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 let Him be YOUR HIDING PLACE!!  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

“When God Doesn’t Listen to Us”

“When God Doesn’t Listen to Us”

 

If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.   Psalm 66:18

 

CONFESSION and REPENTANCE are VERY IMPORTANT in God’s PLAN of SALVATION.   

Confession is the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of UNCONFESSED sin.  This is truly a step in the RIGHT DIRECTION.  Along with ACKNOWLEDGEMENT comes REPENTANCE, which is a DEEP SORROW for those SINS, and is also the TURNING AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURNING TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  And these ACTS of SALVATION keep us RIGHT with GOD, which was made POSSIBLE through the DEATH, the SHEDDING of the BLOOD, the BURIAL, and the RESURRECTION of JESUS. CHRIST, the ONLY SON, of the LIVING GOD.

Then when one becomes a TRUE CHILD of the LIVING GOD, and will CONFESS (acknowledge) their SINS DAILY, He is FAITHFUL and JUST to FORGIVE them of their SINS, and when they PRAY to GOD, He WILL LISTEN.  God is a HOLY GOD and cannot, in any way, CONDONE a SINFUL HEART, which results in GOD’S NOT LISTENING to US when we PRAY. 

With the TRUE BELIEVER, they MUST CONFESS ANY UNCONFESSED SIN that is LURKING around in their HEART, so that their RELATIONSHIP with GOD can be RESTORED. HOWEVER, with the UNBELIEVER, the ONLY PRAYER God HEARS is FIRST, the PRAYER of REPENTANCE, and the ACCEPTANCE of God’s GIFT of SALVATION through the SHED BLOOD of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. And the WILLINGNESS to BEGIN a NEW LIFE, and a NEW ETERNAL DESTINY. 

This is what you MUST DO, if you do NOT have a RELATIONSHIP with GOD, through the LORD JESUS:  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 receive a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with GOD, and then GOD WILL LISTEN to you when you PRAY.  REMEMBER: to CONFESS ALL SINS FIRST.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON.  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

 

 

“ Believing and Declaring”

 “Believing and Declaring”

 

For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.  Romans 10:10

BELIEVING is not just a “mind-set”, but it goes MUCH farther and deeper, because it is a HEART THING.  You see, the Word of God tells us that we MUST BELIEVE in our HEART, and not just the MIND, but MORE SO in the HEART.  BELIEVING in our HEARTS that JESUS IS LORD, and that GOD RAISED Him from the DEAD, brings us a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with the ALMIGHTY GOD and our SALVATION.

Some will MISS HEAVEN by the DISTANCE between the MIND and the HEART.  BELIEVING with JUST the MIND, alone, will NOT CHANGE a person’s lifestyle.  Knowing WHO JESUS IS and WHAT He HAS DONE, will make the way for BELIEVING in your HEART, and you then will be made RIGHT with ALMIGHTY GOD.

Our Scripture takes BELIEVING to another part of being made RIGHT with God, and that is by OPENLY DECLARING your FAITH and SALVATION.  To OPENLY DECLARE is to TELL EVERYONE you MEET what JESUS has done for YOU and CAN DO for them too.  We are to be OPEN and UNASHAMED to SHARE the GOOD NEWS, and our TESTIMONY with this LOST and DYING world. 

If you have NOT GIVEN your HEART and LIFE to JESUS, then you CAN’T SHARE what you DON’T HAVE. You MUST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, who 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.  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 made RIGHT with HIM.  Then BELIEVE and DECLARE OPENLY and UNASHAMEDLY your FAITH.  And be able to 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!!!

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“The Source of Hope”

 “The Source of Hope”

 

“I pray that God, the Source of Hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him.  Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”    Romans 15:13

 

There is an old Gospel song that was written by Mrs. Ruth Caye Jones, in 1943, she was a Pastor’s wife in Pennsylvania.  And the song goes like this; “In times like these you NEED a SAVIOR, in times like these you NEED an ANCHOR; be VERY SURE, be VERY SURE, your ANCHOR HOLDS and GRIPS the SOLID ROCK! 

Ms. Ruth, just so happened to be reading in her BIBLE, 2 Tim. 3:1, “In the LAST DAYS, PERILOUS TIMES shall come.”  And it just so happened to be at the time of World War 2. Times were very HARD and DISCOURAGING, and that is why this GOSPEL SONG was written by Ms. Ruth Caye Jones. 

The Chorus: “This ROCK is JESUS, Yes He’s the One, This ROCK is JESUS the ONLY ONE; Be VERY SURE, be VERY SURE, YOUR anchor HOLDS and GRIPS the SOLID ROCK!”

My friend, we are DEFINITELY living in the LAST DAYS.  And in TIMES like these WE NEED a SAVIOR, and an ANCHOR, and JESUS is the ONLY ONE, who can take us THROUGH THESE PERILOUS TIMES.  Now, even though we are living in some pretty ROUGH TIMES, we STILL can have HOPE!!

The Apostle Paul KNEW that it was possible for the Roman BELIEVERS to have this HOPE.  So, as an ENCOURAGING WORD:  Paul told them that he would PRAY that GOD, who is the SOURCE of HOPE would fill them COMPLETELY with JOY and PEACE, because of their TRUST in GOD.  Then they would be ABLE to have CONFIDENT HOPE through the POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT, even in TIMES LIKE THESE!!

Do you KNOW this SOURCE of HOPE?  Do you have a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with Him?  Well, if you DON’T KNOW HIM, nor have a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with Him, then like the song says; YOU NEED a SAVIOR, and that SAVIOR is JESUS CHRIST, GOD’S ONLY SON, who is the ONLY WAY to the SOURCE of HOPE. You MUST COME THROUGH JESUS and be CLEANSED by HIS BLOOD.  In order to have that RELATIONSHIP with GOD, you MUST FIRST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS.  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 MJST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, then you MUST ACCEPT GOD’S GIFT of SALVATION, and TRUST GOD and be able to be FILLED with JOY, PEACE and CONFIDENT HOPE IN TIMES LIKE THESE.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!