Free gift-------eternal life in Jesus Christ our LORD!!!

 

   If you have ever memorized a verse of Scripture, most likely it is John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." It is the verse most often heard in the simplicity and beauty of a little child's voice proudly reciting it from memory. And it is the verse most often whispered by aged saints as they breath their last breaths. It is the entire gospel in a nutshell.

   John 3:16 speaks of the cause of this great salvation: "For God so loved. . ." The single motivating factor behind God's entire redemptive plan is His love for you and me. This beloved verse also speaks of the cost of this salvation: "He gave His only Son." Jesus paid a high price to redeem us to Himself-death on a Roman cross outside the city gates of Jerusalem. And salvation's condition? "Whosoever believes in Him. . ." That speaks of me. It speaks of you. And any and all may come, placing their faith in Him alone. Finally, this verse speaks of salvation's consequence: We "shall not perish but have everlasting life." Those without Christ are perishing. . . a little more each day.

  Let God love you today as you meditate on this old and oft-repeated promise.

The gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

Hawkins, O.S. THE Easter CODE, A 40-DAY JOURNEY TO THE CROSS, Nelson Publishing, 2019, page 60.

Psalm 23 A psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams.

He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.

Surely goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalm 23 NLT - Psalm 23 - A psalm of David. The LORD - Bible Gateway

The Truth About Salvation

Acts 16:31

³¹ They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 
NIV Bible Gateway.com

 Do you ever wonder if faith in Jesus is really the only way to be saved? Satan is a crafty liar who will twist God's Word to cause confusion. In order to steer people away from following Christ, he tries to create the impression that eventually everyone will make it to heaven. But that is not what Scripture teaches.
   The truth is, we can choose to reject the salvation that Jesus Christ freely offers. John's gospel tells us, "God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God " (John 3:17-18).
   The Word of God clearly states that whoever believes in Jesus will be saved (John 3:16). The Bible also stresses that we make this choice during our earthly life - there will be no further opportunities once we die. So if you would like to be sure of your salvation, you can do so by inviting Jesus to be your personal Savior. God, who wants you to spend eternity with Him, offers compelling reasons to make this all-important decision: "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life" (John 3:36).
   There are no more chances to place faith in the Savior after death. The free gift of salvation is available only in this life - and only through Jesus (John 14:6). Him now, and you will never have to wonder what awaits you in eternity.
Stanley, Charles F. "The Truth About Salvation." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living September 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 22.


   

What Is the Christian Life?

Titus 3:4-7

⁴ But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.  NIV  Bible Gateway.com

   The Christian life is just that - a life, not simply a set of rules. Sadly, a lot of churches preach Christianity as a list of dos and don'ts. Then faith looks like a formula: Jesus' saving grace plus doing good things minus doing bad things equal righteousness. Most of us have enough problems without worrying about whether we're following the extra-biblical rules of a church.
   A man-made formula for righteousness runs counter to scriptural teaching. Not only did Jesus condemn the Parisees' heavy-handed religion, but He Himself offered liberty through grace ( Matt. 23:1-4; John 8:36). Neither keeping God's law by self-effort nor adhering to extra rules makes a person free. Legalistic believers are in bondage and growing ever weaker.
   When a person accepts the saving grace of Jesus Christ, he or she receives a new life. (See Rom. 6:4.) This is not an uptight lifestyle of doing good works. A believer is a changed person - the same body but a transformed mind and heart. Christ lives through you. His Holy Spirit flows into your spirit just as sap runs in a grapevine. It's like getting a spiritual blood transfusion! Strength pumps into places where weakness once prevailed. Why rely upon your frail self when the courage and power to follow God's will are available through Christ?
   ... Depend upon Him to change you from the inside out, and trust that He will. Jesus is your life. He will never get tired of transforming you.
Stanley, Charles F. "What Is the Christian Life?" In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living September 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 31.

The Savior's Missions

John 14:6

⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  NIV Bible Gateway.com

   Many believers know Jesus Christ is the Son of God, but we should also understand His mission, how He fulfilled it, and what that means to each of us. Christ had a twofold goal in coming to earth: to provide us with a tangible image of who God is, and to die in our place to pay our penalty for sin.   What an incredible plan! The omnipotent, omniscient Lord had existed since eternity past (John 1:1; 8:58). Yet for a time, He set aside power and strength that were rightfully His, so that He could become like us. Because God-in-human-flesh lived His life before men, we can better understand our heavenly Father (Col. 1:15).
   Through Christ's sacrifice, we are invited into an eternal relationship with God. You see, Scripture teaches that every descendant of  Adam is guilty of sin (Isa. 53:6; Rom. 3:23), and the punishment is death ( Rom.6:23). The penalt must be paid by the shedding of blood (Lev.17:11). Yet the Father can accept nothing less than a perfect sacrifice (Deut. 17:1). The Savior - who was fully God, fully man, and 100 percent innocent - died a humiliating, excruciating death to pay the debt we couldn't afford. He is the only one who could lay down His life to save us and bridge the gap between each person and the Father.
   There is no possible way for us to earn our salvation. It is an awesome gift that the Father freely offers to each one of us. The only requirement is that we receive Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and follow Him. Have you chosen to accept this amazing blessing fro the Fathers hand? 
Stanley, Charles F. "The Savior's Mission." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living August 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 29. 

Jesus Christ, the Seeking Savior

John 3:16-17

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.   NIV   Bible Gateway.com

   In this busy and impersonal high-tech world, it seems easier than ever to ignore Jesus Christ. We are led to believe that every challenge can be met quickly and self-sufficiently, often through some online resource. After all, if we want to keep our eyes on the future, why seek a Savior from 2,000 years ago?
   As we look to ourselves more and more for answers, we become increasingly susceptible to a dangerous trap - the idea that we can handle life on our own and don't need Jesus. Nothing could be further from the truth.
   All through the Bible, we see God taking the initiative in the salvation of man. None of us who are saved have sought Him out; we've just responded to the way He has drawn us to Him (John 6:44). God made the first move: He chose to save us, and then our response followed.
   Today's passage underscores our need for Jesus - it clearly teaches that the Father gave His Son so we might be saved. Without Jesus, we would be utterly without hope of eternal life and would parish instead.
   Now think about the Lord's parting instructions to His disciples. Did He say to sit idly by and simply mention His name to anyone who walked past? No! He said, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation" (Mark 16:15). He wants the good news to go forth because He is still seeking the lost today.
   Our omniscient, omnipotent Savior can meet needs better than the most capable among us. If you don't know Jesus, He's looking for you (Luke 19:10). If you do know Him, won't you share His great news with the world? 
Stanley, Charles F. "Jesus Christ, the Seeking Savior." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living October 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 7. 

Eternal Security: You Can Be Sure

Hebrews 7:24-25

²⁴ but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. ²⁵ Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. 

NIV from www.biblegateway.com

    We spend a lot of time worrying about physical needs - such as our house, car, food, finances, and health. All these are important in our life, but one form of assurance supersedes all the others.  God desires for us to be confident in Him and in His saving grace. He gives us several reasons to be sure of our eternal security.

• Jesus makes a personal promise to all believers: "No one will snatch [you] out of my hand" (John 10:28) - and He does not make promises unless He intends to keep them. To assume that we can take an action that would separate us from the Lord once we have been saved would essentially be calling Him a liar.

• The hand of God is used throughout Scripture as a symbol of His strength. Once we have received Christ, we are safely in His palm, and no force or action can remove us. If Satan could snatch us away, either by tempting us into sin or through his own power, it would mean he is stronger than God. We know that isn't true because God is omnipotent (2 Chron. 20:6).

• Jesus is our advocate with a holy God who cannot look upon sin. In fact, Hebrews 7:25 tell us that Christ "save [s] forever" because He is available to intercede with God on our behalf. In human terms, Jesus is at the right hand of God as a tangible reminder that our sin debt is paid in full.

  Through His Son Jesus, God has offered us not only salvation, but salvation eternally, with no loopholes, caveats, or maybes. You can be sure!

Stanley, Charles F. "Eternal Security: You Can Be Sure." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living. April 2016. page 26.

Know Jesus Christ as Love

   1 John 5:1+ “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. Loving God means keeping his commandments, and really, that isn't difficult. For every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory. And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe that Jesus is the Son of God…” New Living Translation

   How will anyone know the love of God and know Christ as Savior without knowing who He is? How will anyone believe without studying the Word of God, the Bible?

   “There are many ways to study the Bible, and there are many excellent study aids available to help you with specific books of the Bible. But the most important thing you need to remember is that to find out what the Bible says, you need to read it yourself in a way that will help you discover what it says, what it means, and how you are to apply it to your life.” How to Study Your Bible by Kay Arthur.

   The following quotes are from www.joyfulheart.com. “A ‘deductive’ Bible study begins from a point that the teacher is trying to make, and then uses a number of scripture verses and examples to support that conclusion. Most sermons and Bible studies are conducted this way.

   An ‘Inductive’ Bible study, on the other hand begins with the raw text of scripture, and encourages participants to read the text and draw conclusions directly from the text itself… It trains people to ask questions which help them understand what is going on, what is being said, and how that relates to the rest of the passage.”

   Two authors who write on how to study using the inductive method of Bible study are Irving Jensen and Kay Arthur; or, how about searching the Web for more information.

   The site, shown to me by Al, www.e-sword.org is a great free Bible study. The following is a brief study using e-sword resources.

Analytical-Literal Translation

2Ti 2:15  Be eager [or, diligent] to present yourself approved to God [as] a worker with no need to be ashamed, cutting straight [fig., teaching accurately; or, interpreting correctly] the word of truth. 1965

1889 Darby Bible

2Ti 2:15  … cutting in a straight line the word of truth.

International Standard Version

2Ti 2:15  … handling the word of truth with precision.

New Living Translation

2Ti 2:15 …who correctly explains the word of truth.

Dividing G3718 Thayer Definition:

1) to cut straight, to cut straight ways

1a) to proceed on straight paths, hold a straight course, equiv. to doing right

2) to make straight and smooth, to handle aright, to teach the truth directly and correctly

Word G3056 Thayer Definition:

1) of speech

1a) a word, uttered by a living voice, embodies a conception or idea

1b) what someone has said

1b1) a word

1b2) the sayings of God

1b3) decree, mandate or order

1b4) of the moral precepts given by God

1b5) Old Testament prophecy given by the prophets

1b6) what is declared, a thought, declaration, aphorism, a weighty saying, a dictum, a maxim

1c) discourse

1c1) the act of speaking, speech

1c2) the faculty of speech, skill and practice in speaking

1c3) a kind or style of speaking

1c4) a continuous speaking discourse - instruction

1d) doctrine, teaching

1e) anything reported in speech; a narration, narrative

1f) matter under discussion, thing spoken of, affair, a matter in dispute, case, suit at law

1g) the thing spoken of or talked about; event, deed

Truth G225 Thayer Definition:

1) objectively

1a) what is true in any matter under consideration

1a1) truly, in truth, according to truth

1a2) of a truth, in reality, in fact, certainly

1b) what is true in things appertaining to God and the duties of man, moral and religious truth

1b1) in the greatest latitude

1b2) the true notions of God which are open to human reason without his supernatural intervention

1c) the truth as taught in the Christian religion, respecting God and the execution of his purposes through Christ, and respecting the duties of man, opposing alike to the superstitions of the Gentiles and the inventions of the Jews, and the corrupt opinions and precepts of false teachers even among Christians

2) subjectively

2a) truth as a personal excellence

2a1) that candour of mind which is free from affection, pretence, simulation, falsehood, deceit

“…But the people who know their God will be strong and will work.”

Daniel 11:32b

Blackmon, Selma, editor. The Exchanged Life News. Volume 3 Issue 1. January 5, 2003.

The Power of Grace

2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6 NIV

   One of the most humbling aspects of the Lord's love is His desire for everyone to know Him personally. The same God who created the universe - and who interacted with Abraham, Moses, and Paul - wants us to know Him intimately.
   How tragic it is that so many ignore Him or look the other way, distracted by friends, family, celebrities, sports,c careers, and the endless details of day-to-day life. But the good news is, no matter how distant we may have been until now, the door is open to a relationship with the Father.
   First Timothy 2:4 says that the Lord "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." Notice the writer doesn't say God wants "some" or a certain number to know Him. Rather, He wants everyone on earth to be saved. It's not His desire that any perish; rather, He longs for all mankind to know Him (2 Peter 3:9). And that includes you.
   Unbelievers sometimes look at their sins and assume there's no way God could grant them forgiveness. But the moment a person is willing to acknowledge his wrongdoing, the Lord is there to accept the sinner as His child. Regardless of what you've done, whom you've hurt, or where you've been in life, God is ready and willing to forgive you.
   Even for those of us who have been Christians a long time, it's humbling to reflect on God's goodness. The same grace that saved us is available on every step of our faith journey. Each day, we can move forward, safe in the knowledge that no mistake can ever put us beyond the reach of God's love for His children.
Stanley, Charles F. "The Power of Grace." In Touch: A Publication of In Touch Ministries. Atlanta, Georgia. March 2015. page 51.

God's sacrifice

God Spells Love S-A-C-R-I-F-I-C-E

   “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13. This is the kind of love Jesus demonstrated when He came to earth to die for your sins. He gave up everything for a time on your behalf, forgoing the honor and glory that are His due to becoming a human being-God in the flesh, fully God and fully man. (John 1:1)

   Why did He go through all of this for you? He did it to get rid of the one thing that separates you from the love of God-sin. Anything in your life that is displeasing to God and contrary to His law, God calls sin, and all of us are born with sin already in our hearts. (Romans 3:23)

   Sin is the big love-blocker, and only someone without sin can remove it from you. That Someone is Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God. He literally took your place by taking your punishment. When you believe that He did this for you, placing your faith in Him as your Savior, He wipes away every ounce of guilt and wrongdoing. (John 3:16; 13:1; Romans 8:1; 1 John 4:9-10) You are covered by His love and continue to live in His love forever.

   Understanding the absolute, unconditional security of His love is vital to having a free and stable relationship with Him…

…Jesus’ sacrifice is part of God’s agape love; you cannot fall out of God’s favor or lose His love as a result of anything you say or do or think. Ephesians 2:8-9 gives you this assurance: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one may boast.”

   You did not have to perform certain actions to earn His love. God loves you because He want to, and He never changes His mind-no matter what. (Romans 5:8)

  

“Telling God “I Love You Too”

As you feel His love surrounding you, enveloping your whole being with divine affection and unending attention, your natural response is to show Him love in return. Gratitude, adoration, closeness, respect, affection, a holy awe, tenderness-all these feelings and more can well up inside you, causing you to want to celebrate your fellowship with Him.

   …What you do with God’s Word, how much you jpay attention to His directions and commands, reveals a great deal about your love for God…Obedience is not an evaluation measure of performance but an indicator of priority.

   …As Jesus moves you to maturity and instills His principles into your life, you have the growing desire to do what pleases Him…

   …Obedience is not a mechanical, dull exercise of drudgery; it is the key to a true, godly liberty that knows no boundaries.

The Spiritual Foundations Series, The Love of God by Dr. Charles Stanley

Identity in Christ

If I No Longer Live. . .

If I no longer live…

Then why am I working so hard to sustain and improve my life?

If I no longer live…

Then why do I devote myself to that which is temporal and neglect that which is spiritual?

If I no longer live…

Then why do I chase after that which is perishing?

If I no longer live…

Then why do I fret so much about my castle?

If I no longer live…

Then why is it, no matter how much money I have, I don’t have enough to give to the needy or the Lord?

If I no longer live…

Then why do I invest so much time in my job and so little in my children?

If I no longer live…

Then why am I so intent on leaving in this world a legacy?

If I no longer live…

Then why are my children picking up my worldly values?

If I no longer live…

Then why do I invest so much time into pursuing fun and self-gratification?

If I no longer live…

Then why am I so proud of my accomplishments?

If I no longer live…

Then why do I get so angry with those who cross me or thwart my plans?

If I no longer live…

Then why do I stress out over “things” and why am I so intolerant toward those who mess with my stuff?

If I no longer live…

Then why are my feelings, wishes, and wants so consuming?

If I no longer live…

Then why do I live so much for myself and serve others so little?

If I no longer live…

Then why don’t I love others?

Author unknown

God's truth: What we have learned wrongly can be relearned rightly!

 “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” 

2 Corinthians 11:3

“Ed Silvoso defines a stronghold as “a mind-set impregnated with hopelessness that causes us to accept as unchangeable what is known to be contrary to the will of God.” How are these destructive strongholds established in our minds? Usually, they are the result of subtle steps that lead us away from God’s plan for our lives…

Satan is the father of lies, and he will work on our minds to destroy our concept of God and our understanding of who we are as His children. People in bondage don’t know who they are in Christ… Remember, Satan can’t do anything about our position in Christ, but if he can get us to believe it isn’t true, we will live as though it isn’t true, even though it is.

Can strongholds of bondage in the mind be broken? Yes! If our minds have been programmed wrongly, they can be reprogrammed. If we learned something the wrong way, we can learn it the right way. Will this take time? Yes, it will take the rest of our lives to renew our minds and to develop our character. But nothing you do will prove more rewarding.

ü  What mental strongholds in your mind are keeping you from being free in Christ?

ü  What tempting or accusing thoughts does Satan give you to trigger your life-controlling problem?

ü  Does he accuse you about how bad you are and beat you down?

ü  Does he remind you of past failures? Does he tell you that God has given up on you?

ü  Does he tell you that it’s hopeless, that you will never be free?

ü  What does your life-controlling problem do for you that nothing else has been able to do?

ü  How can you exchange the lies for the truth?”

One Day at a Time Mike & Julia Quarles pp 353-356, Ed Silvoso, “Setting Your Church Free” conference, March 1994, Minneapolis, MN.

God's treasure - love, power, eternal life

“BUT WE HAVE THIS TREASURE”

2 Corinthians 4:7

His Power “Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.” Ephesians 3:20

His Love “and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5

The Holy Spirit “Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”

I Corinthians 3:16

The Lord Jesus Christ “to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27

God the Father “If anyone loves me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our abode with him.” John 14:23

“and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:19

Rivers of Living Water “He who believes in Me, as the scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall glow rivers of living water.’” John 7:38

His Wisdom and Knowledge “..resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself (who dwells within us), in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:2-3

You are Complete in Him “and in Him you have been made complete…” Colossians 2:10

Eternal Life “and the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.” I John 5:11-12