Daily Inspirational

[Ambassador4Christ]

KNOWING GOD'S WILL


We need to understand how to apply grace to the  decision-making  process  of  our lives.   When grace rules a person's life his perspec-tive changes on everything.  He begins to understand that every detail of life flows from his relationship with God.  Grace means that God does it all. We simply receive from Him, cooperating with the Holy Spirit by trusting Him moment by moment.  To walk in grace doesn't mean that we are passive in matters of daily living.  To the contrary, it means that we act in confidence, resting in the fact that it is God who will initiate, perpetuate, and con-summate is plan for our lives.

Many believers fall short of the joy God in-tends for them because they fail to under-stand how His grace acts on our behalf to bring to pass the wonderful plan He has for us.  God has an awesome plan for your life.
It isn't a cookie-cutter plan, either.  He design-ed a special agenda that was uniquely creat-ed just for you.  Before you were ever born, He saw you and customized His plan for your life-time.  (Ps. 139:16) One of the greatest joys in life is knowing that you are experiencing the very purpose for which you were created   Fulfilling the will of God is not some elusive goal that can never be reached.  It is possible for Christians to enjoy  the  experience  of knowing that we are in the very center of God's purpose.

The starting point for understanding the will of God must be grace.  The legalist asks, "What is the will of God for me?"  The will of God is not primarily a plan, but instead is a Person.  Jesus Christ is the will of God.When one rightly relates to Him, doing the will of God becomes the natural result of our union with Him.

Many Christians act like a deist* when it comes to God's will.  They look for God to show them his will so that they can then go out and do it.  

So under grace, it isn't the Christian's duty to find God's will, but rather God will reveal His will to the one who rests in Him. A Person ruled by law will pursue God's will with sincerity and yet never be confident that he has discovered it. One who enjoys intimacy with Jesus will know it without struggling to find it.
* A Deist, basically recognizes very little personal interaction between God and Has empowered the car (earth) to run, and now it is up to many where he drives it and how he runs it.
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Daily Inspirational

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Amen

The starting point for understanding the will of God must be grace.  The legalist asks, "What is the will of God for me?"  The will of God is not primarily a plan, but instead is a Person.  Jesus Christ is the will of God.When one rightly relates to Him, doing the will of God becomes the natural result of our union with Him.

And AMEN!!!

[Brother Love]

                             2 Timothy 2:15

WHOSE FAITH?

by Pastor Kerr Kinman




Does the faith which we exercise in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation come from us, or does it come from God? In our un-saved state, upon hearing the gospel, do we generate the faith to believe from within ourselves, or  BECAUSE HE LIVES does God give us that faith?

As I recently studied through and taught the book of Ephesians, the answer to these questions became very clear to me and I want to share it with you.

The correct answer is that God gives us the faith to believe the gospel. One proof for this is in correctly translating and understanding what is being said Ephesians 2:8. With this in mind let us examine this verse in the light of the Greek text. The following would be a very literal translation of that text. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not out of you: the gift of God."

The thing we want to look at for clearer understanding of the verse is the word we have translated this. Let us ask ourselves what is the this that is the gift of God?
It is translated from the Greek word "touto," which is a nomin-ative or accusative, singular, neuter, demonstrative pronoun. As many have presupposed "touto" does not have reference to the aspect of salvation alone in this verse, but clearly refers to the entire concept of the grace, the being saved, and the faith, all being the gift of God.  We can know this by understanding how Paul uses this word "touto" throughout all his writings.

He uses it most often to refer back to a grouping of nouns and verbs; i.e., to an entire concept. Occasionally he uses it to refer ahead to what he is going to say, as in the beginning of Ephesians 4:17. He rarely uses it to refer to a single word, but when he does, it will refer to a word of like case, number, and gender (i.e., nominative or accusative, singular, neuter).
In Ephesians 2:8 there is no word of like case, number and gender. In fact, the noun forms of the three words preceding in the verse are all feminine in gender; namely, the grace, the salvation, and the faith. Is there a problem? No not when we see "touto" commonly used in this way throughout the New Testament.

For some examples of its predominate usage let us look at Ephesians 5:17. In verse 16, we are told that we should be "redeeming the time because the days are evil."  Then beginning in verse 17, Paul says "because of this [touto], do not be unwise ones, but know what the will of the Lord is "Here "touto" refers to the entire concept of verse 16.
Another instance is in Ephesians 6:1; "Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this [touto] is right." Again, "touto" is referring to the entire concept of children obeying their parents.

Lastly, let us examine its usage in Ephesians 6:13. In verse 12, Paul says "We wrestle not against blood and flesh, but against principalities, against powers, against world rulers of this darkness, against spiritual wickedness in the heavenlies." Then beginning in verse 13, we read "Because of this [touto; i.e., all these things] take up the whole armour of God."
There are many more examples which we could look at, but from those already cited we can see that the word "touto" is commonly used to refer back to a grouping of things or thoughts being spoken about.  This is the way Paul has used it in Ephesians 2:8. In this verse, the grace, the salvation, and the faith, this (touto) is the gift of God.

As we are told in Ephesians 2:1, we were dead in our tres-passes and our sins.  Dead persons can do nothing. They can make no responses and no decisions. As those being spiritually dead, God has to reach in to us to give us life. We could not reach out to Him (cf. John 6:44; Eph. 2:5). As those chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4) our salvation is totally the work of God, even to the point of giving us the faith to believe (cf. Phil. 1:29. May the understanding of this truth give each of us great joy in our God, thanking Him only for the pro-visions He has made in effecting our eternal salvation.

Amen & Amen
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Daily Inspirational

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[Brother Love]

 THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST      


          By:  James Roberts        





I.  INTRODUCTION

The theme "The Preeminence of Christ" is, in one sense, a general theme. A teacher could develop this theme in many different areas.  Christ is preeminent as Savior, as Lord, as Head.  Yet the theme is very narrow when we begin to study the Scriptures as to the per- son and work of the Lord Jesus.  He is not one alternative among many.  He is the   pre-eminent and unique One.  One is considered narrow minded and a religious bigot if one stands firm that there is only One way to the Father and that is through the person and work of the Lord Jesus.

In this lesson, we will study to see Him in His unique and preeminent position.

2.   HE IS THE UNIQUE SAVIOR

(A)  We live in the dispensation of grace.   God saves us entirely by His grace (Eph.2:8-10.)   Since salvation comes by grace, God provided a way by which sinful man might come to Him and be accepted without a
requirement on the part of that person.  If a requirement of any kind of works were made then God would owe the person who made that requirement, and grace would not be grace (Romans 4:1-5.)  That way what God provided is through faith in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus (Romans 3:21-28,)

(B)  Religions, even the Christian religion, require man to do some religious thing(s).  Salvation (having a perfect righteous stand-ing before God) comes from being in Him (Ephesians 1).  We are complete in Him (Co-lossians 2:9-10).

(C)  He, alone, has the preeminence as the One and Only Savior.  He will not share that glory with another.

3.   HE IS  THE  UNIQUE  HEAD OF THE CHURCH

(A)  Religious bodies, called by man, "the church," have 'heads' of their organizations.   For example, the Roman church has the pope as the supreme head of that organization.   He is called the vicar (Christ's substitute) of Christ.  When he speaks from the papal chair (ex cathedra), his pronouncements are sup-posed, by many, to be infallible (without error).

(B)  The unique Head of the one and true church is the Lord Jesus (Colossians 1:18.)

1.  That church is not of man's organization.  It is a body of believers that God is building in heaven.  Every true believer in the finished work of Christ is a member of that church and is complete in Christ.

2.  The head gives direction to the body.  The risen Christ has given His infallible word to us through the apostle Paul (Colossians 1:24-26).  We are to study it, rightly divided (2 Tim. 2:15).  Christ gives authoritative direction to the body.

3.  The Head nourishes and knits together the body.  He, not rituals or traditions, causes growth in the believer (Colossians 2:19).

4.  The Head, alone, deserves our worship.  When He is so held, false worship will be-come evident.  Those in Him have died to the basic principles.  Worship is not being sub-ject to regulations derived from self made religion.  These only have a show of humility and do not give power against the flesh.  There will be no worship of angels (Col.2:16-23.)

4.    HE IS THE UNIQUE LORD
(A)  Every tongue will one day confess that He  is  Lord  to  the  glory  of  the  Father (Philippians 2:9-11).  Lord means one  supreme in authority (we could say -- pre-eminent).

(B)  Lord and Servant go together.  The servant recognizes the authority of the Lord.  The servant will want to do the will of his Master.  The servant's obedience will be done with a desire to do His will and through His power (Philippians 2:13.)

5.  CONCLUSION

Natural man's highest aim is summed up by this statement, "The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love and something to hope for." The believer's "essential to happiness" (yes, "joy") is to give preeminence to Christ in every aspect of life.
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Daily Inspirational

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[nChrist]

Oklahoma Howdy to Brother Love,

The world is getting smaller and smaller.

THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST - by James Roberts

I'm almost positive this James Roberts is my uncle. He pastors the Peace Congregational Church in Indiahoma, Oklahoma, about 30 miles from my home.

You also recently posted an article from Charles Wages. He is the retired pastor of Grace Bible Church in Fort Worth, Texas. Charles Wages replaced my grandfather, Isaac T. Sidebottom, when he retired.

My grandfather mentored many young pastors, including my dad, Weldon Rightmer. My dad was a frequent contributor to the Timely Messenger. Another young pastor was R.B. Shifflett who pastors the Eleventh Avenue Church in Mineral Wells, Texas. He also mentored my uncle, James Roberts.

The list goes on and on. God richly blessed their ministries, and they all have something in common, The Gospel of the Grace of God as the focus of their ministries. The same would be true of the missionaries in the family. God has richly blessed us all.

Thanks be unto God for HIS unspeakable GIFT!

Love In Christ,
Tom      

[Brother Love]

Oklahoma Howdy to Brother Love,

The world is getting smaller and smaller.

THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST - by James Roberts

I'm almost positive this James Roberts is my uncle. He pastors the Peace Congregational Church in Indiahoma, Oklahoma, about 30 miles from my home.

You also recently posted an article from Charles Wages. He is the retired pastor of Grace Bible Church in Fort Worth, Texas. Charles Wages replaced my grandfather, Isaac T. Sidebottom, when he retired.

My grandfather mentored many young pastors, including my dad, Weldon Rightmer. My dad was a frequent contributor to the Timely Messenger. Another young pastor was R.B. Shifflett who pastors the Eleventh Avenue Church in Mineral Wells, Texas. He also mentored my uncle, James Roberts.

The list goes on and on. God richly blessed their ministries, and they all have something in common, The Gospel of the Grace of God as the focus of their ministries. The same would be true of the missionaries in the family. God has richly blessed us all.

Thanks be unto God for HIS unspeakable GIFT!

Love In Christ,
Tom      

Thanks Brother, you have made my day.

Grace & Peace

Brother Love

[Brother Love]

KEEPING THE FAITH  





  "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith"
(2 Tim 4:7)





The apostle Paul lists three major accomplishments in his special ministry for the Lord.


I Have Fought a
Good Fight


The "good" fight that the apostle fought was not an athletic contest to receive an earthly reward. He is referring to fighting the good fight of faith. This is the counsel he gave to his son in the faith Timothy.
"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed  a good profession before many witnesses" (1 Tim 6:12)





This type of fight involves straining, striving, putting forth every effort to protect and preserve the work of the Lord. This "good" fight demands that the believer be in good spiritual condition because there is strenuous labor involved. Also, we must never forget, we have a strong adversary, the devil.


I Have Finished My
Course


This was a tremendous statement that the apostle could truthfully and triumphantly make. He had run a long and hard race, but he had crossed the finish line.  The apostle Paul, several years before he finished his course, which involved bonds and afflictions, said,
"But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear  unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus,  to testify the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24)





The apostle "finished his course" and look a the results! Thirteen, possibly fourteen books of the Scriptures; the revelation of the mystery concerning God's plan for this age of grace; salvation by grace alone; and the blessed hope of our being "caught up" into glory every to be with the Lord (1 Thess. 4:17).


I Have Kept The Faith


There is much more to keeping the faith than just living a good, clean, honest life. Every once in a while we hear someone say, "he was a good Christian" or "She was a good Catholic or Protestant." What does this mean? Does it mean they have truly "kept the faith?" Keeping the faith means far more. It means taking a stand and defending the faith. In Jude, verse 3, we read of "earnestly contending for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." Contending means more than just fun and games, like some of our modern religious pop songs would lead us to believe.  It conveys the idea that we are in a real battle and we must "agonize" as a real combatant. In Jude, verse 9, it tells us of Michael, the archangel, contending with the devil about "the body of Moses." Shouldn't we contend about "the body of Christ," the Church God is building today?  Paul admonished Timothy,
"And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus" (1 Tim 1:14 )





He had earlier written,
"O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions  of science falsely so called" (1 Tim 6:20 )





It appears that Paul had committed to Timothy the revelation of the mystery which had been given first to him (Eph. 3:1-12). Keeping the faith is akin to "keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3). We, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, need to be alert and watchful. This isn't a soft, easy task where we can sleep or even snooze. The trouble is that so many "Christians"don't know what "the faith" really is!  We hear people talk of the Protestant faith, the Jewish faith, the Catholic faith, or even nondenominational faith, or interdenominational faith. We all need to be reminded that there is only "one faith" (Eph. 4:5) and that faith is stated in Galatians 2:20,
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Gal 2:20 )





Certainly, God has and will continue to preserve His Word. However, we as believers, have a very grave, yet wonderful privilege and responsibility of making His truth known, and then to defend and contend for this glorious truth. This is especially important when we see many trying to refute and even outright deny the truth of God's Word. The only true "faith" is that revealed in His Word.
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing  by the word of God" (Rom 10:17  )





Wouldn't it be wonderful and a good testimony if it could be said of each of us, He/she has KEPT the FAITH!

by Charles Wages  
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Daily Inspirational

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[Brother Love]

“ What is Grace”
By Cecil Argetsinger



In the English language grace is a word with a wide variety of meanings. It might mean beauty of form or movement, as graceful. It can refer to an attractive quality in persons, like kindness. A period of time in which payments or judgments are withheld is called a grace period. In religious circles it could mean a spiritual gift.

What we want, however, is to discover what the word means in Scripture, And there dictionary definitions will not always do. God has to take ordinary words and in-vest them with extraordinary meanings in order to reveal heavenly and spiritual truths. We must note how He uses a particular word in the Bible to discover its real mean-ing. When that is done grace is seen to be the infinite love of God, set free by the death of Christ, manifesting itself in the bestowal of measureless blessings on the believer in Christ. It indicates not only His kindness and goodness but reveals the very heart of God. It speaks of that which moved Him to save the lost.



“Without A Cause”



Romans 3:23, declares that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” However, Romans 3:24, goes on to declare that these same sinners are “justified (made righteous) freely by His grace.” In this passage the word freely is from the Greek word dorean. Dorean also occurs in John 15:25, where Christ, speaking of His soon coming death and quoting from Psalm 35:19, said that His enemies “hated Me without a cause.”

How true was that which He spoke. There was no reason or cause in Christ that those Jews should hate Him. He was no sinner, He had broken no law, He had harmed no one, rather it was written of Him that He “…went about doing good” and that”…God was with Him” (Acts 10:38). There was nothing in Christ, no cause in Him for their hatred, it had to arise from within themselves. It is what they were, the hardness of their own hearts, that caused them to crucify Him. They were thus giving expression to their own wickedness and unbelief. They hated Him “without a cause.”

That phrase, without a cause, is also a translation of dorean. If instead of freely we would substitute without a cause (and we have every right to do so), Romans 3:24 would then read “Being justified without a cause by His grace.”

How clearly those words express the truth. We have indeed been justified without a cause. Just as those Jews could find nothing in Christ to hate for there was no fault in Him (Luke 23:4), even so God h as found no cause in us as to why we should be redeemed. There was no good in us, no worth, no merit, only sinfulness (Rom. 3:9-18). Not what we are but what He is, a God of love and grace, moved Him to provide “so great salva-tion,” we deserved nothing but condemnation and judg-ment, but His own heart of love found a way in which His justice could be satisfied and His love set free to save us from sin. His grace has saved us without a cause.



Expects No Return



An excellent illustration of the meaning of grace is provided in Luke 6:32,33&34. In each of these three verses we find the word thank. Thank is a translation of the Greek karis from which we get our English grace. Let us examine those three verses.

In verse 32 we read, “For, if ye love them which love you, what thank (karis-grace) have ye? for sinners also love those that love them” There is no grace in loving someone who loves you, or from whom you hope to receive love in return. Grace loves without a cause. Grace does not consider whether or not love will be answered in kind; grace loves because that is what grace is.

In the next verse (33) we read, “And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank (karis-grace) have ye? for sinners also do even the same.” Again the same truth is present, that grace operates without a cause. Grace does not do good to someone expecting good in return. Grace does not say, “I will be good to you if you will be good to me.” Grace does not consider the results or the returns. Grace expresses that which is worthwhile in the character of the one who gives, not the worth or merit in the one who receives.

The last verse (34) states, “And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank (karis-grace) have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again,” Now it may be good business to lend expecting to be paid back, but this is not grace. Grace lends and grace gives because it wants to give, not because of any expected return. Grace gives whether is appreciated or not. Grace gives in spite of who or what the receiver is, not because of who he is. Grace is free, without a cause. Grace is God’s love expressing itself in immeasurable benefits to the believer in Christ.

In the light of all this, how plainly can it be seen that salvation is all of God. It is not because of any supposed merit or goodness in us that we have been justified and brought into fellowship with God. Neither is it because God could foresee that we would come to Him if we were but given the opportunity. It is not that He expects us to pay Him back. We have been saved because what is in God, not because of any good in us. Grace does not lend trusting to be repaid again. Grace does not do good hoping to receive in kind. Grace does not love looking to be loved in return Grace gives and grace blesses and grace loves simply because that is the nature of grace. It operates without a cause.



The Nature of God



The word grace, however, as it is used in the New Testament, goes far beyond a simple definition of the term. There it expresses and portrays a character of God never before seen. It describes a motivation, an urge in the heart of God, a desire to save and to bless and bestow. there is something in God that finds its expression and fulfillment in the free bestowal of blessings. Grace operates without a cause, despite lack of worth or goodness in the receiver; grace is something in God which moves Him to bless the undeserving believer. And that grace will bless, and bestow, and bless again, never ceashroughout all eternity to move Him in our behalf. It is His stated intention “That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us, through Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7).


A warning



A word of caution needs to be added. To teach that God is motivated by His grace in the redemption of lost sinners is not to teach that all will be saved. God, it is true, has provided a salvation that is being offered to all, but it is applied only to “them that believe.” Grace is bestowed on undeserving sinners, not on unbelieving sinners.

Neither is it true that the teachings of grace encourage loose living. Rather, grace prohibits carelessness in the Christian’s walk. “What then?” says the Apostle, “shall
we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid!” (Rom. 6:15). No statement regarding this truth can be clearer than the words of Titus 2:11-12. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared …Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and Godly, in this present world.”

May”…The God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus… make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 5:10-11).
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Daily Inspirational

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[2nd Timothy]

Amen!

Thank you BL

Grace and Peace!

[Ambassador4Christ]

Amen!

Thank you BL

Grace and Peace!

DITTO

[Ambassador4Christ]

How about you? Don't be Left Behind






Left Behind




With all the disasters happening in the world today, one might wonder how much longer this world will be able to take all the destruction. I am thankful for all the people who are doing all they can to try and put out the fires and helping everyone they can. But I believe Christ is coming es all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads. Verse 17, and that no one may buy back before man destroys this world. We have comput-ers now and that is all we need for the antichrist to be able to control the world. In the Book of Revelations chapter 13:16-17, and he causor sell except those who take the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. You can read Revelations chapter 13:14-18, NKJ and you will be able to understand how computers will be used to fulfill the Scriptures. When you go to buy food or other things they have computers to scan the things you buy. So we can understand now how this can be used to stop anyone from buying anything no matter how hunger they may be. Just by scanning the number on their hand or on their forehead. I have seen where they will take a little devise while waiting at the warehouse and bring it out and scan all my groceries in my basket one at a time and then when I get to the check out counter they already know just how many groceries I have. I can easily see how this could be used to scan the hand or a person’s forehead to see if they qualify to buy. The same with selling anything you would have to have the same thing did to qualify that you might be able to sell anything. So the people who have things to sell would have to do the same.

You certainly don’t want to be left behind when the Lord comes back for His Church, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, Behold I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18, for this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep, for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. I want to try to help to win everyone I can to the Lord. In Romans 10:13 for whoso-ever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Now we have the terrorists in our country and some are afraid to fly or get into crowds since we don’t know what will happen next. We have never thought things would get so bad in this Great Country of freedom we live in but it is here! We are proud of our men and women who are willing to fight for our freedom and our Country. Please search the scriptures and see for yourself, I realize if you are already saved, you will go up in the rapture when the Lord comes back, but please search the scriptures and see for yourselves. It is there we can see this in the Old Testament as well as in the new, especially in the book of Revelation that John wrote. A lot of those I know just say this is a future book and think they can’t understand it, that may be true but if you want God to help you to under-stand He has promised us that all scripture is for our learning.

It will be too late for those who have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ and His way of Salvation, it is a free gift. He died for us so we would not have to die the death of an unsaved person, In the book of John Chapter 5 verse 24, “Most assuredly, I say to you, He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlast-ing life, and shall not come into judgment, but has pass-ed from death into life. Yes, we can live forever in if we will just believe what God has said in His word. We must believe, so we can live and let Him live His life through us. Romans 5:1, Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. There are many more scriptures in God’s Word where we can find that we can believe His Word and live forever and we don’t have to be left here when Christ comes for His Church.

By-Connie Spivey
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Posted By Ambassador4Christ for Brother Love

[Ambassador4Christ]

CAN GOD SAVE ME EVEN AFTER THE THINGS I HAVE DONE?



Answer: Yes, God will give eternal life to anyone that believes the gospel message that Jesus Christ died for their sins and was raised from the dead.

Many people are worried that they have committed sins that are so bad or have lived in such an evil way that they could never be saved.  Some  people believe that there are sins that are unpardonable and if they commit such an act they are beyond forgive-ness.

The Bible clearly teaches that Christ's death was sufficient to pay the penalty for any sin we commit.  The verses in scripture that teach about the power of Christ's death and God's  forgiveness of sins are clear: Christ's death paid for all the sins of everyone.

People often think that certain sins are worse than others and therefore, it takes more for God to be able to forgive them.  From a human perspective it is true that certain sins are more serious.  People make this distinc-tion because we are forced to live with the consequences of sin, therefore we consider certain sins worse than others because some have greater consequences.  For example, a murder takes away a human life, a much more serious consequence than someone that steals a small  amount of money.  Therefore, because of the varying results of peoples' sinful behavior it is necessary for humans to have varying degrees of punishment.

From God's perspective sin is any act, thought or attitude which opposes His per-fect Will.  Because God is completely right-eous and holy He must punish anything that goes against His nature.  Likewise, when God sent His son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross to pay for our sins, His death was a perfect sacrifice.  It satisfied the righteous demands of God's justice.  To say that Christ's death cannot save us is to say that what he did on the cross was somehow insufficient and lacking in power.  Yet the Bible tells us that Christ's death was a perfect sacrifice, able to pay the penalty for all our sin.

One of many examples in the Bible of some-one that received eternal life despite having committed serious sins is Paul the Apostle.  Before becoming a Christian his name was Saul and he was one of the greatest persecu-tors of the believers in Jesus.  In 1 Timothy 1:15 Paul said, "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners -- of whom I am the worst." Clearly Paul believed that Christ's death was sufficient to save anyone.

Please read the following verses:  1 John 2:1-2; 1 Peter 3:18; Hebrews 9:14; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 3:21-24.
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Posted By Ambassador4Christ for Brother Love

[Brother Love]

GRACE ABOUNDING



In a letter to his spiritual son, Timothy, Paul wrote,  some 1900  years  ago, about  his conversion:

" was before a blasphemer, and a perse-cutor, and injurious, but obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. AND THE GRACE OF OUR LORD WAS EXCEEDING ABUNDANT..." (I Tim.1:13,14).

And he follows this with the now-famous declaration:

"THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING, AND WORTHY OF ALL ACCEPTATION, THAT CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS, OF WHOM I AM CHIEF" (Ver 15).

Upon reading this statement by Paul, those who know their Bibles will immediately recall the words of Rom.5:20,21:

" . . .the law entered, that the offence might abound, BUT WHERE SIN ABOUNDED, GRACE DID MUCH MORE ABOUND; THAT AS SIN HATH  REIGNED . . .SO MIGHT GRACE REIGN . . . ."

These two passages from the pen of Paul have a closer connection than may appear on the surface. The Apostle Paul, once Saul of Tarsus, had led his nation and the world in rebellion against Christ. "As for Saul," we read in Acts 8:3, "he made havoc of the church," and he himself testified to the Galatians: "Ye have heard.. .how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and laid it waste" (Gal.1:13).

Yet God, in infinite mercy, had saved Saul, not only for Saul's own sake, but to make  him the living demonstration of His grace. Thus in writing to Timothy, the Apostle goes on to explain:

"Howbeit, FOR THIS CAUSE I OBTAINED MERCY, THAT IN ME FIRST JESUS CHRIST MIGHT SHOW FORTH ALL LONGSUFFER-ING, FOR A PATTERN TO THEM WHICH SHOULD HEREAFTER BELIEVE ON HIM TO LIFE EVERLASTING"  (I Tim. 1:16).

Let us, then, take our places with Saul, the sinner, and find  salvation by grace through Christ, the Savior. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts16:31).

Connie Spivey
Grace Christian Ladies
http://www.voy.com/24596/
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2 Tim 2:15  Study to show thyself approved unto God, a  workman  that needeth  not  to  be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

[Brother Love]

BIRTH: SAVIOUR; GROWTH: SPIRIT


"Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16).

We receive life by reliance upon the Saviour; we grow in that life by reliance upon the Spirit.

"Many think that because of faith they are cleared of everything before God through the Cross, and therefore by faith they are clear of
everything in themselves.  But that is the error of 'holiness by faith.' The objective (position) is that we are clear before the Father; the subjective (condition) is that we are cleared from ourselves by the growth ministry of the Holy Spirit."

"As you by faith in the positional facts realize that you are in the Father's presence, you will not try to depend upon any sense of His
presence.  You know His presence because you know that your position in the Christian life is a life of faith in the facts---nothing else.  That the Father forces you to live by faith so as to draw you into His presence---not you, by sense, trying to draw Him into yours."---M.J.S.

"We are, naturally, suspicious of any offer to make us happy in God. Because our moral sense, our natural conscience, tells us of our having lost all right even to His ordinary blessings.  But in the Word of our Father, faith reads our abundant title to be near to Him and happy with Him, though natural conscience and our sense of the fitness of things would have it otherwise.  Faith feeds where the moral sensibilities of the natural mind would count it presuming even to   tread." ---J.G.B.

"The moment we walk by sight we are outside of faith.  The Father would never have us outside of faith; hence, even in answering faith, He so answers it that we need it again the next moment, even while we are enjoying the results of it." ---J.B.S.

"Faith is...the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).

MILES J. STANFORD
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2 Tim 2:15  Study to show thyself approved unto God, a  workman  that needeth  not  to  be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

[Brother Love]

RECEPTION AND RESISTANCE



"For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works" (Hebrews 4:10).

Besides the rest of reception, there is also the rest of resistance.  Any time there is effort involved in the matter of resisting sin, we can be sure that we are depending to some extent upon the flesh, instead of resting in the finish-ed work of the Cross.

"The question is 'How are we to meet sin?' 'Reckon yourselves dead unto sin.'  The moment that you begin to fight with it ---no matter how resolutely you may struggle against it --- that moment you begin to exper-ience sin as your master.  For it is then that we forsake our true position, which is one of freedom from sin as a master.

"Let it be remembered we are to fight 'the good fight of faith' which consists of resting in our position of freedom, and not in obtain-ing that position.  We are to fight not for it, but from it.  He alone has obtained it.  It is our Father's free gift.  Let us be fully abiding in the One who is Life, and sin when it acts, will find us dead to it."---E.H.

"Calvary is the secret of it all.  It is what the Lord Jesus did there that counts, and what He did becomes a growing force in the life of the believer when it is seen, and rested in by faith.  This is the starting point from which all godly living must take rise.  We shall never know the fact of the Lord Jesus' victory in our lives until we are prepared to count upon His work on the Cross as the source of our personal freedom from the dominion of sin and the flesh within.  There is no liberty for us that was not first His.  The beginning of spiritual growth is faith in that fact."

"Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty with which Christ hath made us free" (Galatians 5:1).

MILES J. STANFORD
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2 Tim 2:15  Study to show thyself approved unto God, a  workman  that needeth  not  to  be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

[Brother Love]

CHRISTMAS POEM


Written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan.




TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan. The following is his request. I think it is reasonable.....

PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.
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2 Tim 2:15  Study to show thyself approved unto God, a  workman  that needeth  not  to  be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.