Harden Not Your Hearts

Psalm 95:1-9 KJV; 3rd Sunday in Lent; Harden not your hearts against the Lord; but, worship Him and rejoice that He has released you from bondage.

His Mercy And Lovingkindness

Isaiah 63:7-14 KJV; Old Testament Reading for 1st Sunday after Christmas. He has shown us mercy through His Son, our Savior, by freeing us from bondage to sin, death, and the power of the devil. Let us glorify Him!

Freed Indeed!

John 8:31-36 KJV; Reformation Sunday; We shall know the truth, who is Jesus the Christ, and we shall be freed indeed!

Beware Of False Gods

 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 

                                                                      (Gal 4:1-9 KJV)

We know that through Christ we are free men and women. We know that we are the children of God and have been freed from bondage to those who by nature are not gods. Yet, something within us keeps driving us back into bondage to serve those false gods. Beware of the false gods that would creep into your life. Some of those false gods might seem innocent enough. But, they are not. They will take away our freedom. 

We are not always even aware when we have become obsessed with them; after all, we live in a world where false gods tend to take center stage in the world. When we cannot do without something or some activity then, dear friends, know that you have sold yourself back into bondage. You have sold yourself to a false god. as you are giving your time, your money, your life, to serve this false god. These false gods cannot save you. They can even bring you any real happiness or joy. They will not give you peace of heart or mind or soul.

We are children and heirs of the living God. Jesus freed us from bondage with his blood. Take hold of that freedom and turn away from all that would return you to bondage. 

Rejoice, for the Son has set you free and you are free indeed! (John 8-36)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Turn To The Lord And Rejoice

O come, let us sing unto the Lord:
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. (Psalm 95:1)

Psalm 126:1-6 KJV

When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.

The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south.

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

+++

When the Lord releases those in bondage they rejoice.  

The Israelites ended up in bondage because they had turned away from God. When they returned to the Lord they found themselves being freed again and they rejoiced. 

There are many forms of bondage. Some of us don't even realize that we are in bondage to so many things of this world. We become slaves to other people because of our incessant desire for more; for more things; for more power. We give up our freedom as we pursue these false gods.

Prayerfully there will be a day when we recognize that we have been led astray; that we have been following a dangerous path, and turn again to the Lord for all things. On that day we will rejoice for the Lord will save us! He is the rock of our salvation!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Created For Good Works

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Eph 2:10 KJV)

"God don't make no junk." I heard that phrase a lot a few years ago; but, not so much lately. Indeed, he doesn't. He has created all things with a purpose. He has created all people for a good purpose. That purpose is not to do harm. Yet, here we are doing harm to the people; the world, around us.

Years ago I was in a Bible Study that was studying the ten commandments. One of the women related that she didn't worry about all of the "shall nots." She found that if she just focused on loving the people and world around her she didn't fall into quite so many traps of doing harm to others. If you love your neighbor you will not steal from them. If you love your spouse you will not commit adultery. If you love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind false idols will not be rising up to center stage in your life. We would probably all be better off if we worried a whole lot less about what we can't do and spend that time on focusing on the good that God has created and called us to do.

In Christ we have been freed from the bondage of sin. In Christ we have been set free to love and serve God and one another. In Christ we have been given new hearts; hearts not made of cold stone; hearts that desire to do good; to do no harm. "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." (Ezek 36:26)

Let us pray: 

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit." 

                                                                                    (Psalm 51:10-12)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Whom Will You Serve

And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.

Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods;

For the Lord our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:

And the Lord drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the Lord; for he is our God. 

                                                                                                   (Josh 24:1-2, 14-18 KJV)

The journey is over. The Israelites have been promised the land for generations. They have been led through some hard times. They have been blessed by the LORD. Joshua's days are almost over. He reminds the people of all that the LORD has done for them and tells them:

"...choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Josh 24:15)

Who indeed will you serve? Which gods? Will you revere the LORD in sincerity and in faithfulness? As Joshua encouraged the Israelites to recall their history with the LORD God, I encourage you to do the same. Who brought you out of bondage? Did any of your false gods really help you? You cannot serve two gods. Choose ye this day, whom you will you serve. And, whichever one you choose know that they will each desire faithfulness from you. Will you choose the One who first chose you, who is faithful, and has always been faithful to you? Will you choose the one who loves you so much that He was willing to die for you? Or will you choose a lesser god, a god that does not love you, one that will only take from you, a god that will take your very joy and leave you alone and helpless? Choose ye this day... And, do not be deceived there is only one God that loves you. Put away all those false gods, for you cannot serve them all and live.

God's promise to you is a for an abundant life in His Kingdom - in His very presence. Do not choose to receive a lesser gift than this. Do not turn your back on the LORD who gives you life.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

And... The Children Of God Complained

And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:

And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. 

                                                    (Ex 16:2-3 KJV)

God led Moses and the people of Israel out of bondage. And... they complained...

They complained. They felt that they would have been better off as slaves rather than wandering around free from Pharaoh. Freedom came with a price. They were without a real home for many years. They had to actually trust the Lord to provide for them. Those were just a couple of prices that were paid by the people not to be property of another human being. Even after God finally led them to their own land they had to work hard to build up that land. They had to work hard to build homes, supply their families with the things needed to sustain their lives. Many had to work for others in order to survive; in order to live life. It was not an easy way of life for all.

It is not easy for everyone (maybe not for anyone) to provide for anyone today either. It can take a lot of work to survive.  When Adam and Eve turned their back on God and decided that what he had given them was not enough they ate of the tree that the Creator had said not to eat of. The consequence given to Adam by the Lord was: "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." (Gen 3:17-19 KJV)

St. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread." (2 Thess 3:10-12)

So, maybe we should just figure out that in order to eat we have to work. There are exceptions of course. There are those who cannot work due to illness or handicap or age. These the rest of us must provide for.

"Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land." (Deut 15:9-11)

There are simply too many examples of Jesus reminding us to take care of the poor to begin listing them. We are expected to care for our brothers and sisters; in fact, for all of creation.

The Lord helped the Israelites escape their slavery and they complained. He fed them with manna from heaven and after awhile they complained about that too.

The moral of this blog this morning is to quit complaining; live life thanking God for what he has given you!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Be Released From Your Prison

Be Released From Your Prison

 

Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. 

                                                                             (Acts 12:5-11 KJV)

Locked in a cell; yet, freed by a miracle of God. God sent angels to unlock the doors of Peter's jail cell and to lead him out safely. If he can do this why would we doubt that miracles can happen and unlock any chains of bondage; whether physical or spiritual, that we might find ourselves in through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord?

Peter thought he was merely having a vision; maybe imagining his escape,  from prison. But, he was not. In Christ, we too are released from the bondage. Receive the truth, who is Jesus the Christ. Trust him to free you and let those chains of bondage fall to the ground.

May God bless your day and lead you to freedom in Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

There Is One God

And God spake all these words, saying,

I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

                                                                       (Exodus 20:1-6 KJV)

You shall have no other gods! The giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses by God is the Old Testament reading for the third Sunday of Lent (Mar 7, 2021). Theses Commandments remind us how we are to love God and others.

They begin by reminding us that there is only one God and that He is to be first in our lives. It makes no sense to me that anyone would worship anything or anyone other than the creator of all things; the author of life. Why all the foolish incantations to things that are beneath even humankind? Why depend and trust celebrities or politicians that would give themselves authority when in reality they have no real authority? They cannot save you! In way too many instances they worship themselves and put their own agendas before God's. 

There is only one God who has authority over all things. There is only one God who was willing to sacrifice His only begotten Son to save you.

Even as God spoke to Moses, He speaks to us through His word. Listen to Him! Love Him above all others! Worship Him alone and live life!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Ambassador In Bondage

 

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

                                                                                    (Eph 6:18-20 KJV)

As St. Paul closed his letter to the Ephesians he asked them to pray always for all saints as well as for himself.  He asked that they pray that God would help him to continue to speak boldly what the Lord would have him speak. 

This would have been a very difficult time for most people to continue to share the Gospel as Paul wrote this letter from prison in Rome. Yet, he was well aware that was exactly where he was supposed to be. As a prisoner he would be able to share the news about Jesus not only with the faithful through letters but also to people who would not normally hear it.

Most of the country, indeed the world, has been placed in positions of semi-lockdowns due to Covid-19. We do not have the opportunities to see or fellowship with others as much as we were able to a year ago. But, we do have opportunity to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom through Jesus Christ. God provides those opportunities, even if it is no more than social media which could be considered akin to writing a letter. Thanks be to God we do still get to see people although not quite as many nor as often as we use to. We can still be ambassadors of Christ to others even within our bonds.

May God open our mouths so that we might proclaim the Gospel and to proclaim it boldly whenever and wherever we might be.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Truth Is?

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 

                                                                                       (John 8:31-32 KJV)

What is truth? Seems like in the world today it is acceptable to have many versions of the truth. But, can there really be many versions? 

I had a few rough moments when I was going through seminary. One particular professor wanted me gone. I had dared to debate him publicly over something he said. He professed that there could be two completely opposing interpretations of scripture and both interpretations be perfectly valid. I disagreed. I viewed this as sacrificing truth for unity. 

The truth should never be sacrificed. Whether it has to do with spiritual truth or truth that pertains to the world it should never be sacrificed for then we will function according to the lies that we perpetuate. We will be in bondage to these lies. When it is then distortion of the truth; out right lies becomes accepted as truth. When we hear calls for unity we must ask ourselves if these calls to unity require us to accept as truth what is not the truth? Are we willing to accept lies for the sake of unity? Are we willing to live our lives miserable and drowning in the lies that we have been told and accept for the sake of unity?

St. Paul suggested otherwise. It does our neighbor no good to speak lies to him or her. Deception will not bring us together. Only the truth can unite us. If we are to be one, we ought to be truthful. "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another." (Eph 4:25)

Neither freedom nor unity come from lies. Half truths and gross exaggerations are lies. Lies only lead to more bondage; bondage to the lies themselves and to the ones who taught us the lies and who we believed. 

Know the highest and best truth of all. Know that Jesus the Christ is the truth who lived and died and lives for you. He is the only truth that can truly set you free!

God's Peace - Pr. J. 

Fear Not

"Fear not: for I am with thee..." (Isa 43:5a KJV) 

How often we need to hear those words! Do not be afraid. God is with you. We often find ourselves in bondage to a variety of issues we are struggling to figure and work out for ourselves or someone we love. Maybe it's financial difficulties or relationship issues that are causing anxiety. The Corona Virus today has an untold number of people today in a state of fear. The level of panic in so many today absolutely astounds me. There is definitely reason to be cautious. But, caution and fear are not the same thing. Being cautious and taking precautions is the wise thing to do. Panicking only causes more problems.

There are times when we may feel overwhelmed with fear; as though we are lost in a thick forest with no clue how to find our way out. We might find ourselves journeying through the wilderness and feeling like we are making that journey quite alone. But, fear not. You are not alone. The LORD, who created and redeemed you has not deserted you. He is with you. The word of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior, promises this.

Fear not for God is with you. May God grant you the peace that only He can give.  

God's Peace - Pr. J

There Is Only One Who Can Save You

Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.

                                                                                   (Isaiah 43:10-11 KJV)

Still in trouble? No matter what you do, does it seem that nothing ever goes right? Maybe, just maybe, it's because you are depending on someone or something other than the One True God to help you with your problems. There is only one Savior and that is our Lord Jesus the Christ. 

Trust him. False prophets; false teachers; false gods will bring you nothing but more bondage; more suffering. They will lead you astray into even darker places. They will lead you off of the path that leads to eternal peace in the presence of God. 

"While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." (2 Peter 2:19)

Nothing in this world can save you. There is only one way and that is by faith alone in Christ alone. Follow him. He will show you the way.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God..." (Eph 2:8)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Free To Not Devour Others

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.      
                                                                                      (Gal 5:1, 13-15 KJV)

We are free to love; to stand up for one another; to defend and help those who need defending and help. Jesus did not die so that we can attack others to get an edge up over others. He came that we might be reconciled to our Father and to one another. Snarling at others; biting and attempting to devour each other has nothing to do with our Father's good will for humankind. 

I watched about two minutes of the Democratic Presidential debate last night and had to shut it off. Maybe it was the worst two minutes of the debate. But, oh my! How rude they were to each other in those two minutes. That seems to be indicative of all political debates no matter who is involved and that will not reconcile anyone to one another. The same goes for each of us in our daily lives. Reconciliation does not come by spitting at each other. 

The sacrifice made by Christ for all humankind has made us free to love and serve one another. Fighting and attempting to degrade those one might actually agree with for personal power or recognition is not freedom; but, bondage to worldly desires. Christ has set us free to love not to destroy our neighbor.

St. Paul wrote to the Galatians: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. (Gal 5:22-26)

It would be nice if when we disagree with others we could all learn not to belittle and degrade them.

God's Peace - Pr. J

They Will Praise The Lord

Hebrews 2:12

Let this be recorded for a generation to come,

   so that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord:
that he looked down from his holy height, 
   from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,
to hear the groans of the prisoners, 
   to set free those who were doomed to die;
so that the name of the Lord may be declared in Zion, 
   and his praise in Jerusalem,
when peoples gather together, 
   and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.                                   (Psalm 102:18-22 NRSV)

How and why will a people yet unborn praise the Lord?

It began with those first followers of Jesus. They shared what they saw. They repeated what they heard and the next generations did the same. The next generation will praise the Lord when the Good News of the Kingdom of God for all who believe in Jesus will be shared with them. They will praise the Lord when by the power of the Holy Spirit they understand that they have been set free from the bondage to sin. They will praise the Lord when they understand that Jesus overcame the power of death over us. They will praise the Lord when they hear the Word.

It is New Year's Eve. Let us resolve to share the Good News loudly and clearly that the next generation might genuinely praise the Lord!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Follow In The Way He Leads You

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.”  Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.

But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.  
                                                                                                               (Exodus 14:21-23; 26-29 NIV)

Slave to the Egyptians; the Lord was finally leading out of their bondage to a land of promise and hope. But, they were not going easily. The enemy close at their heels they found themselves trapped. How often have we felt cornered and trapped by an adversary? Even as the Lord parted the seas so that the Israelites could pass through unharmed; so shall He always find a way for all of His children. The enemy of God's children could not follow on the same path. They could not overtake them. The Lord closed the road and destroyed the enemy. There may be times when we feel like we might be overtaken and destroyed. But, God's children will never be destroyed for through Jesus Christ we have the hope of eternal life in the promised land; in His eternal Kingdom. He will make straight the path so that we might follow in the way that we must go no matter what might threaten to overtake us.

God's Peace be with you all - Pr. J

We Do Not Serve Alone

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:3-6 NIV

There are times when we can get very weary. I may seem that we are serving the Lord alone and to very little avail. Paul was alone in a prison cell when he wrote the letter to the Philippians. But, he knew that although separated from the Christians at Philippi; separated from the world outside of the prison, he was not alone. As a Christian, he was in a partnership with every other Christian in the world doing the work that Lord had begun in each of them.  

Paul served faithfully, in and out of prison; but, he did not serve alone. We do not serve alone, either. Though we may not always see it with our eyes, we know that God works in and through every member of the Body of Christ to complete the good work that He has begun in all of us. No matter what kind of bondage the world would put us in; whether in prison or out; we will serve the Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

What Is Truth?

Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:31-32 NRSV

If you continue in my word. What? Who is the Word? Jesus the Christ!

... and you will know the truth. What? Who is the truth? Jesus is the Truth!  "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"  John 14:6

...and the truth will make you free. What? Who will make you free? Jesus who is the Word and who is the Truth will set you free.

Abide in him, continue in his word, so that you might know the truth that will set you free. The Truth will set you free from the bondage to sin, death and the power of the devil. You, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, will be able to live free from all fear; with the courage and strength to follow in the way that Jesus leads you. 

Disciples of Jesus the Christ, may you believe the truth that you are a child of God, freed from all worldly powers that would seek to destroy you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Gospel; The Power of God

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”  (Rom 1-16-17 NIV)

If a friend were in danger and you knew of a way to prevent them from being harmed would you not do everything in your power to help them? Well the power of God to save all whom we love and even those who we don't love is available. It is found in the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ dying so that we who are not righteous are made righteous by the blood of this innocent man that was shed for us.

It is for those who believe to proclaim this Good News to the world; to shout it from the rooftops, so that others might hear and believe and be saved by faith in the one who lived and died and lives again so that we too might live eternally in the kingdom that he has prepared for us.

It does not matter who you are. It does not matter what you may or may not have done. Do not think that what you have done is worse than what the next person has done. We all sin and fall short. Without Christ, we would all be found guilty and not worthy to be reconciled to God our Father in His kingdom. But, by faith in the blood of Christ shed for you; all of your sins are washed away. You have been saved from yourself. You have been saved from bondage to sin, death and the devil. This salvation is meant as a free gift to all people. It is by faith in the giver of this free gift that we are righteous. It is by faith in the giver of this free gift that we are saved.

Let all of God's people proclaim the gospel so that others might hear and believe as faith comes by hearing. (Rom 10:17)

God's Peace - Pr. J