His Love

It is not what you do, or what we have done, it is what He has done that makes all the difference in the world.  No matter what you or I have done, we will never deserve His love or a place in His kingdom.  There are so many out in this world that are trying to do things so that they can feel like they deserve God’s love, but none of us can, it is as simple as that.  God’s Word says we were born in sin and shaped in iniquity.  How can a man or woman that was born in sin, which separated that person from the Lord and made that person an enemy of God, deserve His love or a place in His kingdom?  There are so many that are doing good works and they think because they are pretty good people they have a foot in the door of heaven, but they will never get there by their good works.  Some people donate a lot of money to different charities, which is a good thing and very helpful and very much appreciated I’m sure, but it won’t get you a hearing with the Lord or a place in heaven.  This is the truth; it is not what we have done, it is only what He has done.  It is only by God’s unconditional love and His free gift of grace, or un-merited favor, that we can receive God’s grace and His love!!

Read Ephesians 2:8-9 very slowly and carefully and you will know the truth, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Now read Romans 3:21-28, “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

It is not by keeping the law or doing good works that will ever make us right with God, but it is trusting in Jesus Christ who God sent into the world because of his great love and mercy for all mankind.  So, if we put our trust in Him and repent of our sins, which is only possible through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and ask Him to forgive us we can be made right with God!!  Another problem people have is that they think there are many ways to get to heaven and to God and that is not the truth, there is only one way and that is through God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.  Please read John 14:6 very slowly and carefully, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

You can’t get there by doing good works, like I said, or by trying to be a good person, but only through Jesus Christ.  Think about this; how could a man that was born in sin with a sin nature bring about the salvation of all mankind?  He couldn’t, but a man that had no sin could, and that could have only been done through Jesus Himself.

Please read 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Now read John 3:16-21, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

So if you want to receive God’s love, mercy and grace, repent of your sins, which means to turn away from your sins, and tell the Lord that you are truly sorry, if you really are, and ask Him to forgive you and to be the Lord and Savior of your life.  We have a promise in God’s Word that if we truly repent of our sins and confess them it says this in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Yes, we can find forgiveness, praise the Lord!!  This is the most important decision you will ever make in your life.  Enough said, have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!

  

The Lord’s Provisions

In the days we live in, things are very unstable and you may have a tendency to doubt whether God still provides for His people.  God is not a God who deserts His people because He is always faithful.  Please read Psalms 103:1-18, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger forever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.”

God loves us and cares for us and His Word says that He will never leave us or forsake us.  If we feel separated from God it is probably because we moved away from Him because of sin, or maybe we have been disappointed for some reason or other, or maybe our enemy has caused us to doubt God’s promises, or we are conforming to the world and not letting our minds be transformed by meditating and studying the Word of God.  Remember we have been adopted into God’s family, if we are truly born-again.

Read about the love of God in Isaiah 49:13-16, “Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.”

Just as the good Lord provided for His children who were Israelites or Jews He will also provide for His redeemed who trust in Him and strive to live godly lives.  Please read 1 Peter 5:6-11, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen”

So trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight and think about this; that all things work together for good to those who love God to those who are the called according to His purpose!!  And remember, God’s purpose is this, read Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Enough said I have given you something to think about and I hope this will help you and encourage you!!  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!

Restore Our Country

Lord, our country doesn’t look or seem the same anymore.  I fear that we have fallen from your grace as a nation and we need You to turn us around.  Lord, we have tried to push You out of our government, our businesses, our schools, our courts, our airwaves and every aspect of society.  We have blasphemed your name and made a mockery out of your Word, your laws and precepts.  We are a very stubborn and rebellious people.  Instead of shunning un-godliness we invite it in and teach others to grasp hold of it and live godless lives.  We have no idea of how far we have fallen and we keep digging the pit deeper and deeper.  Satan has blinded the eyes of many of the influential and those that are supposed to be the elites of our society and so many more.  

Our nation was founded on freedom of religion, the Constitution and Christian values and principals but now Christianity and our values and our Constitution are being mocked and scorned by those that should know better but don’t seem to get it.  And we, as the church, should be deeply ashamed, because many of us are guilty of not being genuine in our speech and actions and also for some of the things that are being preached and taught from our pulpits that are not biblical and they are influencing many in the church and many outside of the church and so a lot of the blame lies on our shoulders.  It seems like we haven’t learned from the past so we want to do the same things over and over again.  

It seems like there are multitudes of people that are like the frog that is put in cold water and as the water comes to a boil never jumps out because he doesn’t know that he is boiling to death.  Put that same frog in boiling water when it is boiling and he will jump out as fast as he can because he feels the heat.  It seems like so many people are like that frog being lulled asleep and not even realizing it.  Morality seems to be something that is spurned also and it is getting to be like anything is accepted.  Things that would have brought outrage years ago seem to be the norm anymore.  

What we need is God in America again, He is our only hope.  We need repentance like what happened in Nineveh when Jonah went and preached to the people and a great revival broke out in the land.  You can read about it in God’s Word in the book of Jonah, it is only four small chapters but it says a whole lot and if God spared Nineveh at that time because of His mercy and grace He may do the same for us!!  People need to be repenting from the greatest to the least of us in every walk of life, humbling ourselves before the Lord to keep God’s judgement from coming upon the earth; this is very serious, not anything to joke about.

If you would like to read about the judgement, read chapters 19-22 in the book of Revelations in the Word of God and it wouldn’t hurt if you read the whole book of Revelations.  I have given you a lot to think about and I hope you will and that you won’t scoff at what I typed here; there is too much at stake here to take this lightly.  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!  And don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord for He is worthy!!           

Bear One Another’s Burdens

Do you bear with someone else or do you stand in judgement of that person?  I heard this said too often, “if that person was a Christian, they couldn’t do such and such a thing because a Christian wouldn’t do that.”  Why are we so ready to judge another believer?  What we need to remember is that we aren’t perfect and neither is anyone else, some people are still ‘babes’ in Christ and some are ‘carnal,’ or you might say worldly.  And besides that, who are we to judge someone else’s servant, the Lord is the only one that knows the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Our problem is that too often we want to be fruit pickers instead of loving people and bearing their burdens, we want to condemn them.  

Ravi Zacharias told a story that was true about him and his wife and I will try to retell it the best I can from only hearing it once, so here it goes, and I want to make this perfectly clear that Ravi and his wife were perfectly innocent in this matter.  I don’t recall where they were flying from but I think they ended up in New York.  When they left the airport his wife discovered that she had lost her purse, so Ravi said do you have your Blackberry and she said no, so he said let’s call the number and if someone answers then they have found it, so he did.  A lady answered and Ravi said did you find it and she said yes and she told him where he could pick it up, which was a bar, so he asked her what she was wearing and she said a black sweater.  So he went out all dressed up and got a cab and told the driver where he wanted to go, in which the driver said you don’t want to go there.  This cab driver was from India and so was Ravi and could speak the language so Ravi explained the whole story to him.  When they arrived, there were scantly clothed women outside, then he went inside and the man inside said which one would you like and there are more downstairs to choose from and Ravi said I know the one that I am looking for.  The lady walked up to him and said are you Ravi and he said yes, do you have it and she gave him the purse.  Ravi wanted to give her a finder’s fee in appreciation but she refused, so he thanked her and then he shook her hand with a hundred dollar bill in his hand and then she took it and he left.  Then he found out why she didn’t want to take the money, the hundred dollar bill that was in his wife’s purse was missing.  When he tells the story, it is a whole lot funnier than I can tell it.

I told you this story to say this, what would you have said and thought if you saw him go into the bar, knowing who he was and not knowing the circumstances?  This was a perfectly innocent situation that could have been blown out of proportion because of a false judgement.  Please don’t think I am talking down to anyone I have done far too much judging over the years myself and I have had to repent many times, so I am speaking to myself as much as anyone else but we all need reminders at times.

Read what Paul says about this in Galatians 6:1-10, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

It is easier to criticize and condemn than it is to encourage and build up a person and to bear their burdens with them.  So let us love one another and bless and encourage one another and especially those that are in the faith and help them carry their burdens!!  May you have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!! And don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord for He is worthy!!