salvation

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Good news – you’re not condemned! (Almost)

I have some good news from God’s word – Jesus did not come to condemn you!

Isn’t that great!!!

His exact words were –

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:17

He is not here to condemn you!
He has come to save you!

I have discovered that many Christians want to condemn others. I have been guilty of that too.

But we are not here to condemn, anymore than Jesus came to condemn.

So why are Christians so prone to point out sin? I think it’s an attempt to salvation – the compelling nature to point out sin and to tell others they are condemned without Jesus.

That is also true!

He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:18

What Jesus is saying is preach Jesus! That may sound a little self-fulfilling but He is the Messiah and Savior.

Paul said it best when he said,

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 1 Cor 2:1-2

Preach and teach God’s word and let the Holy Spirit use it to convict the hearer!
It works!

Abba, Your word is more powerful than my own. I debate whereas You end all debates. Your word is perfect and condemns and gives life through Jesus. YES&AMEN

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God Provided a Memory!

I remember over 30 years ago, when I was a contractor for the telephone company, I would get a job that contained a description of the work needed to be done, complete with directions to the location.

One day I got a job that described the work area as “just past Johnny Weatherford’s old place.”

I knew Mr. Weatherford. He was a supervisor at the telco. But I did not know where he once lived. In fact, I found out later he had not lived there in more than 15 years. Only the old-timer phone men remembered that.

Each of us do much the same thing – making reference to homes and stores that no longer exist, like the old Wal-mart or someone’s old homestead.
I still refer to my uncle Curtis’ property, though he has been dead and gone for over 30 years and his daughter and son-in-law own it all now.

Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” Gen 22:14

The place where Abraham would sacrifice Isaac was around Mt. Moriah. But after the events he named it Yahweh-Yireh (Jehovah Jireh) or “The Lord Will Provide”.

I’m pretty sure that not too many people called it that. Perhaps Abraham, Isaac, maybe the men that had traveled with them, and a few other family members through the years.

What a wonderful testimony it would be if to do things like this today. And you can.

You can share with our children, grandchildren, family and friends such things as where you were saved, baptized, or first went to VBS as a child.
You can show them the pastor’s house or some old church where you experienced a great revival.

Make a memory like Abraham did for his family.

Abba, I praise You for the Godly memories throughout my life. May I pass those memories down to my family and help them make memories of their own. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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A Message of Death – A Message of LIFE

“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name?” Acts 5:28

Sinful living and false religions all have a major problem with the word of God – it won’t go away and it won’t be silenced.

Those that commit sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these are determined to end any message that would call their lifestyle sinful.

Of course any government official that lives contrary to the scripture will take offense when a pastor takes to the pulpit with the word of God and preaches against such sin.

The Islamic world has made a remedy for them that dare preach Jesus – death. In countries with high populations of Muslims, they are the majority and with the approval of their governing officials, they can imprison, try, and kill “infidels” that preach the Gospel of Jesus.

High populations of other religions can do the same.

What is unique about pure Christianity is it preaches life, not death! Of course in the message there is the condemnation and death of all that sin,

For the wages of sin is death! Rom 6:23

But the same message is tempered with

the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23

It is not a message of purely condemnation of a lifestyle or belief – it is THE MESSAGE OF SALVATION!

Abba, Your name is life. Your way is life. Though the world may choose death, I choose to tell them about Life. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Here is your reward!

You walk into a business and see a notice taped to the window. There’s a picture of the cure little dog and the words “lost” and “reward”.

As you leave the store and drive home you are surprised to see a dog running loose that amazingly favors the one you saw on the window.

You stop and gently speak to the little dog. It wags his tail and slowly comes to you. You pick up the dog and place him in your lap. He licks you and happily settles down while you drive home.

You call the number you saw on the poster in the window. The owner meets you, thanks you over and over and wants to give you $50 for finding the dog.

You hesitate to take it but the owner insists! It is your reward.

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Abram was definitely a man of faith. But even people of faith can have those moments of doubt. God assurance to Abram –

Gen 15:1 “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

God, Himself, is your reward.

He rewards with forgiveness. Eph 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

He rewards with salvation. Rom 10:9-1o if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

He rewards with eternal life. 1 John 2:25 And this is the promise that He has promised us — eternal life.

Abba, I found You and I am rewarded. YES&AMEN

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Defiled

Matt 15:18-19 Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. Continue reading →

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He is mindful of you!

passover blood moon-8199-2Ps 8:3-4 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him,

Continue reading →

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It’s a matter of the Heart

Acts 2:37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

I have wounded a few hearts.
I have cooked a few things that have given someone heartburn. Continue reading →

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Tripping over the Rock

Luke 20:17-18 ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’
Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.

You’re walking along talking to a friend and suddenly you stumble over something –falling flat on your face. Continue reading →

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No Fear

NoFear copy

Luke 8:35 – A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. Continue reading →