Friday, March 25, 2005

By Grace are Ye Saved!

Hallelujah- by God"s Grace we are saved from the wicked power of the Devil. We are snatched from Satan's grasp when we are saved. We have fowle Satan's plan when we step into and accept the eternal plan God has for those He created.
God created us for Himself. Satan did not create us. He has never given us anything good- nothing to bring us true fulfillment, joy and peace- only a temporary fling that leaves someone hurting. Satan has given us freedom to kill babies, to divorce and remarry leaving behind hurting children, freedom to fulfill sexual pleasure and leave behind hurting hearts, to steal belongings so we can have, but others are left without, to argue, to gossip , to slander,- ah, even within the church! But God created us for His good pleasure- for Himself. To know Jesus Christ- to know Him!
But we are sinners. We are in Satan's camp. We belong to Satan until we are redeemed. By God's grace are we saved. Jesus paid the ransome price long ago. 2000 yrs ago He hung on the cross that I should have hung on for my sin, but He did it instead of me, for me. He has infinite grace- beyond anything we can imagine.
We are so wicked we could never get near heaven. The people at the Tower of Babel tried to get near heaven- they were judged. Transendental Meditation people try to meditate into perfection. Many give to charities, many give lots of money to the poor. etc- but God Himself in His Word the BIBLE, which is the only TRUTH- inerrant- said," not by works of righteousness"> :There is none righteous, no not one"
So, here we are! YOU and ME. We understand that God is full of grace. So, then all of mankind will be saved, right? All religions will be saved because Jesus paid the price for our salvation 2000 yrs ago, so now it doesn't matter what you do since works are obsolete and after all, it's by Grace we are saved- the gift of God, not by our works. Right? Oh, but we must look at God's complete book. God gave us the whole Bible, not just 2 verses, and the rest being just a nice story.
John 1:12 #1 as many as received HIM
#2 them that believed
John 3:18#2 them that believed
John3:5 #3 we must be born of the spirit
#4 we must be born of the water
Rom 10:5#5 confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus
#1 believe
1 John 1:9#1 confess your sins
What I see in scripture alot is that God wants us to believe in Him. Many people who are very worldly believe in God. But, belief is where it starts. If you can't even believe that God created you, and that He really sent Jesus to die for your sin, you can't proceed any further. End of discussion. But, my Beloved - as John would say- if you chose to believe let's go on.
The next step is hard because many are too proud. We must confess with our mouth " I am a sinner. There is no good in me. I need to receive the gift of salvation which Jesus bought on the cross of calvary" Many faithful church goers have gone this far and just love the Lord Jesus so very much. They give to the church their time, money and talent. They witness, they fear for the lost who are going to hell. Yet Jesus told Nicodemus even more. Let's go on. Proceed.
"EXcept ye be born of the water and of the Spirit, ye cannot enter the kingdom of God" Cannot, it says. Now, Nicodemus was a good man. He believed in Jesus- he said," We know that thou art a teacher come from God" . Jesus said basically " Nicodemus, there's more- the water and the Spirit". Let's go to Cornelius. I like that story because so many of us were brought up in good traditional churches. Our churches took us to Belief and to confession.
Acts 10:1- Cornelius #1 a devout man #2 feared God #3 all his household feared God #4 gave alms - money to the people #5 He prayed to God continually #6 a just man of good report among all the nation of the Jews #7 He fasted for 4 days #8 He was open to hear and obey more from God. What a good man- even taught his whole household- children , wife , servants, and soldiers which served him, to fear God. Cornelius said to Peter," Now therefore are we all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded you of God". As Pter preachad to them, the Holy Ghost fell on all themwhich heard the word. They spoke with Tongues and Magnified God. Then they were Baptized in water in the name of Jesus. So , here you have the water and the Spirit which Jesus talked about to Nicodemus.
#1 Believe #2 Confess your sin #3 Baptism of the Holy Ghost when you speak in Tongues #4 Baptism in water in the name of Jesus our Lord.
By Grace are ye saved, It is the Gift of God. Not of Works, lest any should boast. This plan God has for us is truly by His Grace on us who belonged or still belong to Satan. Isn't God Gracious? He loves us so much! Let's thank Him for His plan, and let's receive His plan for us, for you and for me!!!

#3

God's Will

"Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God!" Col.1:1
Wow! That's a statement all by itself! Paul was doing what he was doing , because it was God's will. Paul had found out what the will of God was for his life and he had yielded to it , and was doing it! Paul didn't havean easy life! All that hunger, travel by foot or donkey, ship-wreck, persecution, but, he said "Count it all joy my brethren ( or sisters)". He said, I do it all for the cross of Christ, that I may know Him. Paul was quite a guy- yes, but I am a woman. Here's you and me - women- yet, there is a verse- "There is now neither male nor female". In Christ, Jesus looks at us women on the same level as men!! Hallelujah! Shout for joy, women! Jesus loves you as much as He does Paul. Go ahead - Do a jig! Going back to the verse Col.1:1- are you doing God's will? Are you following what God wants for you? Sure, service is not salvation, but we do show Him how much we love Him by doing something good for someone. What about a cup of water in Jesus Name? What about bronies for that obnoxious neighbour, or prayer for the Tsunami victims or $$? What about prayer for the poor girls caught in child slavery or again $$ If you are a working Woman or an at home mother, God wants to use you! If you are in a wheelchair, God can still use you to phone someone and say " I"ve been thinking about you! You've been on my heart lately!" Come on Ladies, let's get busy doing what God's will is for each of us! Then, we'll count it all joy, cuz we're doing it in HIS NAME! Remember the song" When will the world see that we love Jesus".

Sunday, March 13, 2005

Just Do It!

Herein is no choice-Just do it!!
-Let no corrupt communication come out of your mouth
-only speak that which is
:good
:edifys
:ministers grace
-Do not grieve the Holy Spirit
-Put away all bitterness
all wrath
all anger
all clamor
all evil speaking
all malice
-Be kind
-Be tenderhearted
-Be forgiving

We must not choose whether or not to do these things. These are commands just as well as commands like "Be Born again." God says, "Do it", but He doesn't ask us to obey in our own strength. DO IT, in His strength, by His Spirit.

One God

To the Jew, He is: One God
To the Muslim, He is : One God
To the New Testament Church, He is: One God

Therefore God has been or should be seen as the same to all three groups--

God is: merciful- plentious in mercy
to be prayed to daily
Good
Ready to forgive
a listening God, to my prayers
answers prayer
a God of great works
Creator of all
the One whom we worship
the One who we glorify
Great
the Only God
does wonderous things
Truth
to be feared- obeyed
to be praised
My God
the Lord
a deliverer of my soul from hell
full of compassion
Gracious
Patient
plentious in Truth
gives us strength
My Comforter
My Helper
taken from Psalm 86 in the Bible

Poem: Christ is for all (Easter)

The day that Jesus died for me,
I could have cried-for on that tree
He hung ands bled in agony
To save us all from Satan's Hell,
So we could ring the living bell of Joy.

Now when I die, I'll go to heaven
To live eternally on high,
In God's great mansion, made of gold
But when that is I am not told.
Twill be such joy to see Him there,
So all His glory we can share.

Christ didn't die for only me,
He died so all His glory could see.
Confess your sins to God above
And He shall give you Peace and Love.
He'll never leave you nor forsake
So, pray and confess your big mistake.

Poem: Seek ye the Lord? (Easter)

Whom do you seek?
Why are you here?
The tomb now stands empty
But you stand in fear.

Yea, sir we seek Him
Who lay mid the wraps
We came to bring spices
See here in our laps?

But, sir He's been stolen
They took Him away
Do you know His whereabouts?
They took Him today!

Mary, Dear Mary
See here, it is I!
Oh, Master Rabboni
You're alive, yet did die.

Today many seek Him
But many give up
We must seek 'til we find Him
Let Him fill our cup.

Jesus said, " I am the Resurrection and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by ME!"