Tag Archives: Trusting Jesus

When’s Your Appointment??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #363

11 Friday Jul 2025

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, A Form of godliness?, A heart of faith, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Eyes that see not, Faith or Entertainment?, Judgment, Judgment Is Coming, Just As I Am?, Ready or NOT Here Jesus Comes!, Reaping & Sowing, Redeemed By HIS Blood, Redemption or Rehearsal?, Redemption Through HIS Blood, Reflecting HIS glory, Sovereignty, Sowing and Reaping, Trust God, Trusting God, Trusting Jesus, Trusting Jesus?

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When’s Your Appointment???   A Word from THE WORD!!! #363

“And as it is appointed

unto men once to die,

but after this the judgment:

28 So Christ was once offered

to bear the sins of many;

and unto them that look for him

shall he appear the second time

without sin unto salvation.”  Hebrews 9:27

As we look around us at the tragedies going on all over the world, and of late right here at home in the US, it should call us to “consider your ways”! (See Haggai 1:5 & 7). Are we looking to the cross?  Are we blaming God?  Are we questioning God’s sovereign control?  Are we trying to stand in God’s place and judge why these things are happening?  Or are we examining our own heart and life to see if we belong to Jesus; to see if we are pursuing God’s way, God’s Word and God’s Son, Jesus for our salvation by repenting of “my” sin and believing in Jesus’ substitutionary atoning sacrifice to save us!  The sacrifice of the sinless, perfect Lamb of God who came to “taketh away the sin of the world”!  Over and over scripture is replete with the truth of the Gospel—and Jesus is that Gospel, by His blood.  I simply want to spend this time with you, asking you to consider your ways and discern if you are ready to stand before God?  Have you made that life-changing commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ?  Have you made Jesus the king and center of your life, or have you simply gone your own way and tried to tack Jesus on to everything else that you want to have in your life?

It’s your choice but choose wisely, there is a test?  The test of real faith is found in scripture; not a church roll, not religion, not baptism, not in good works!  I pray that you will join me today as we peruse scripture for truth.

“Examine yourselves,

whether ye be in the faith;

prove your own selves.

Know ye not your own selves,

how that Jesus Christ is in you,

except ye be reprobates?”  2 Corinthians 13:5

Scripture tells us why Jesus came!

“And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people from their sins.”  Matthew 1:21

And the Apostle John records these things for us.

“He was in the world,

and the world was made by him,

and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.”  John 1:10-13

Jesus himself, spoke truth to Nicodemus, a religious leader who like many today, had no clue of the truth of the Gospel!

“Jesus answered and said unto him,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born again,

he cannot see the kingdom of God…

…. 5 Jesus answered,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit,

he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh

is flesh;

and that which is born of the Spirit

is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee,

Ye must be born again.”  Portions of John 3:3-7

Jesus made it clear that we only come to Him by the work of God’s Holy Spirit to convict and draw us to the cross.

“No man can come to me,

except the Father which hath sent me draw him:

and I will raise him up

at the last day.”  John 6:44

Have you heard the voice of God calling you?  Have you put off responding to God’s call?  Have you ignored or rejected the call of God, because you wanted to do it your way and not God’s?  Are you counting on your way to lead you to heaven?  When we hear the call of God and respond by faith in Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for “my sin”, we can be born again into the kingdom of God, and receive the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Can we really do that?  Scripture says we must—it’s the proof that we belong to Jesus; it’s not your name on a church roll, good works, or any other work apart from the completed work of Jesus on the cross; and the indwelling Holy Spirit is the evidence of our spiritual parentage.

“So then they that are in the flesh

cannot please God.

9 But ye are not in the flesh,

but in the Spirit,

if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.

Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ,

he is none of his.”  Romans 8:8-9

God said it through the Apostle Paul, I didn’t!  Just speaking truth!  What will you do with it.  And a reminder that there is a day coming when we will stand and be judged for our choices—for God or against Him.  Some of the scriptures most impactful passages state this clearly.  You decide—it is your choice!  But choose wisely, remember, there is a test!

“And being found in fashion as a man,

he humbled himself,

and became obedient unto death,

even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,

and given him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow,

of things in heaven,

and things in earth,

and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:8-11

We are only able to stand by the blood of the Lamb which, “cleanseth us from all sin” (See 1 John 1:7)!  The Apostle John was also given the truth of these things in the Revelation!  Please take heart, for I pray that you will receive truth from God’s Word, and the convicting power of The Holy Spirit.  To use an old adage, “You can be born once and you will die twice, or you can be born twice and die only once!”

“And I saw a great white throne,

and him that sat on it,

from whose face the earth and the heaven

fled away;

and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead,

small and great,

stand before God;

and the books were opened:

and another book was opened,

which is the book of life:

and the dead were judged out of those things

which were written in the books,

according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead

which were in it;

and death and hell delivered up the dead

which were in them:

and they were judged

every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell

were cast into the lake of fire.

This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written

in the book of life

was cast into the lake of fire.”  Revelation 20:11-15

Why?  Because we either believe in Jesus and accept the gift of HIS righteousness, or we go about to establish our own righteousness!  In other words you can pay for your own sin, but the price for that is Hell!

“For all have sinned,

and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23

“For the wages of sin is death;

but the gift of God is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

“For he hath made him to be sin for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made the righteousness of God

in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Jesus paid it all!  Are you trusting in His sacrifice for you?  Or are you going your own way?  You have an appointment coming?  Will you be prepared?  I pray that you will come to Jesus while there is time, when you hear the voice of the Master!  It’s all about Jesus and what you do with Him!  Ready or not, here He comes!!!

“This is the stone

which was set at nought of you builders,

which is become the head of the corner.

12 Neither is there salvation in any other:

for there is none other name under heaven

given among men,

whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:11-12

Amen and Amen!!!

Listening Is Optional??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #229

12 Wednesday Jun 2024

Posted by in A Witness--Good or Bad???, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Abundant Life In Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Every Knee Shall Bow, Eyes that SEE HIM, Faith, Faith or Entertainment?, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Hell, Hell's Hot, Hell's Real, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Salvation, The Word, True Gospel, True Knowledge, Trust God, Trusting God, Trusting Jesus?, Truth, Try yourselves, Tuned In To Jesus

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Listening Is Optional??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #229

I want to share a most profound account that Jesus gave us.  Some teach it as a parable, but I believe it is a true account—for there is no other parable where Jesus mentions a specific name.  You can decide, but the message that I want us to consider is Jesus’ statement about the rich man’s request to send Lazarus back to testify to his family.  This lost man in hell was more concerned about the salvation of his family than many of us are about ours (what I often call, the greatest evangelist ever).  May we heed the message and get our prayer life focused on the salvation of our loved ones; our life lived in a way that they will desire Jesus; and our mind, as Paul says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”, that people may see Jesus in me! (Read Philippians 2:5-11). What do people see in me? You? Take note and hear the voice of The Lord!

“There was a certain rich man,

which was clothed in purple and fine linen,

and fared sumptuously every day:

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus,

which was laid at his gate,

full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs

which fell from the rich man’s table:

moreover the dogs came

and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass,

that the beggar died,

and was carried by the angels

into Abraham’s bosom:

the rich man also died,

and was buried;

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes,

being in torments,

and seeth Abraham afar off,

and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham,

have mercy on me,

and send Lazarus,

that he may dip the tip of his finger in water,

and cool my tongue;

for I am tormented in this flame.

25 But Abraham said,

Son,

remember that thou in thy lifetime

receivedst thy good things,

and likewise Lazarus

evil things:

but now he is comforted,

and thou art tormented.

26 And beside all this,

between us and you

there is a great gulf fixed:

so that they which would pass

from hence to you cannot;

neither can they pass to us,

that would come from thence.

27 Then he said,

I pray thee therefore, father,

that thou wouldest send him

to my father’s house:

28 For I have five brethren;

that he may testify unto them,

lest they also come

into this place of torment.

29 Abraham saith unto him,

They have Moses and the prophets;

let them hear them.

30 And he said,

Nay, father Abraham:

but if one went unto them from the dead,

they will repent.

31 And he said unto him,

If they hear not Moses and the prophets,

neither will they be persuaded,

though one rose from the dead.”  Luke 16:19-31

And a side note in closing, Jesus told this story knowing that His passion was at hand and knew that He would be the very living-out of this statement that, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead…”.  Jesus rose from the dead, yet people still reject Him to this day.  Have you met Jesus?  Have you come to Him in repentance of your sin, and faith/belief in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice on the cross–for all our sin!  He came for you and me!  Don’t miss His grace and become an evangelist from hell!

Amen and Amen!!!

The News Ain’t NEW??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #186

16 Friday Feb 2024

Posted by in A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, A Father's Love, A Form of godliness?, A Witness--Good or Bad???, Advice for the journey, All Sufficient God!, Almost But Lost, Amazing Grace, Good News, Gospel, Nothing New, Now is the time...., One Day Too Late?, Perilous Times Are Here, Perseverance

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The News Ain’t NEW??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #186

“The thing that hath been,

it is that which shall be;

and that which is done

is that which shall be done:

and there is no new thing under the sun.

10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said,

See, this is new?

it hath been

already of old time,

which was before us.”  Ecclesiastes 1:9-10

Just as Solomon reminded us in his wisdom, there is “no new thing under the sun”, we can go all the way back to Cain, who hated his brother because his brother followed and obeyed God and His truth, but Cain did it “his own way”, and became so angry when God rebuked him for it, that he rose up and killed his innocent and righteous brother—and my friends, it is still going on today.  The wicked rise us and accuse, persecute, and even kill God’s own, don’t be surprised or deceived thinking that we are immune.  As Paul said, “in the last days perilous time will come”, and my friend they’re here, we’re there, and we must draw near to Jesus that we may be able to “withstand in the evil day”!  Are you standing true?

“By faith

Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice

than Cain,

by which he obtained witness

that he was righteous,

God testifying of his gifts:

and by it he being dead

yet speaketh.”  Hebrews 11:4

Abel not only offered an acceptable sacrifice, but his righteousness spoke even after he was dead.  When we live for Jesus and have HIS righteousness applied to our heart and life, the world will see Jesus in and through our witness of His saving, transforming grace.  The question is, what do others see in me now, while I’m alive?  May we ever pursue His righteousness and reveal it to the world, knowing that it isn’t of me, but Him.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God,

who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ,

and hath given to us

the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit,

that God was in Christ,

reconciling the world unto himself,

not imputing their trespasses unto them;

and hath committed unto us

the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,

as though God did beseech you by us:

we pray you in Christ’s stead,

be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made the righteousness of God

in him.”  2 Corinthians 5:17-21

I pray that we will heed the Word of God, and His Spirit speaking its truth to our heart and pressing us on to bring glory to God and draw others to the cross of Jesus, and His saving, cleaning blood.

“But if we walk in the light,

as he is in the light,

we have fellowship one with another,

and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son

cleanseth us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin,

we deceive ourselves,

and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just

to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us

from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:7-9

And lest we forget that we are called to examine ourselves to be sure that we truly belong to Jesus, the words of The Lord Jesus will remind us, that the foundation matters—if our faith isn’t built on the blood of the corner stone, the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”, or if we aren’t sure, we need to seek God’s face and ask Him to reveal our own heart to us.

“Wherefore by their fruits

ye shall know them.

21 Not every one that saith unto me,

Lord, Lord,

shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;

but he that doeth

the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day,

Lord, Lord,

have we not prophesied in thy name?

and in thy name have cast out devils?

and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them,

I never knew you:

depart from me,

ye that work iniquity.”  Matthew 7:20-23

The “news” isn’t new, but just as it was back in the garden, the “liar” of all time (“that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world”, See Revelation 12:9) is still lying and deceiving people, and if we miss Jesus, we’ve missed it all.  It doesn’t matter what your “sin” is, what matters is that you see your sin as sin, repent, and trust to and believe in Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for your sin and mine on the cross!  That my friends IS the GOOD NEWS!    Come to Him today, or if you’re His already, live what you say you believe and possess!

“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.”  Galatians 2:20

 It’s all about what Jesus did for me, how can I do less than give my all to Him, live for Him and stand for Him and His Word!

Amen and Amen!!!

Fall Into_____??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #143

13 Friday Oct 2023

Posted by in Faithfulness, Falling Into_____, Love, Love Is Action, Lovest Thou ME?

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Fall Into________???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #143

“And he spake a parable unto them,

Can the blind lead the blind?

shall they not both fall into the ditch?

40 The disciple is not above his master:

but every one that is perfect

shall be as his master.”  Luke 6:39-40

I love the words of Jesus, and I hope to start a study on them soon, but the thing I want us to consider this morning is, “What are we falling into?”  Are we blind leaders of the blind?  Are we walking “in the light as he is in the light”?  Jesus is The Lord of all, and we must choose who or what we will follow or ‘fall into’; Jesus is ever calling us to follow HIS lead, not the blindness of this world.  But there is something else significant that Jesus is calling us to—to follow HIM personally as well as HIS example!

“And Jesus answered them, saying,

The hour is come,

that the Son of man should be glorified.

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you,

Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground

and die,

it abideth alone:

but if it die,

it bringeth forth much fruit.

25 He that loveth his life

shall lose it;

and he that hateth his life in this world

shall keep it

unto life eternal.

26 If any man serve me,

let him follow me;

and where I am,

there shall also my servant be:

 if any man serve me,

him will my Father honour.”  John 12:23-26

Jesus came to die for my sin and yours!  It’s why HE came to this earth, to be “the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world”!  And this “Lamb of God” would lay down HIS life for sin—yet not HIS own sin, but for yours and mine; this perfect sinless Son of God came to pay the debt that you and I owed for SIN!  He died for my sin and yours, so we could have eternal life.  If we’ll see through what else Jesus is saying to us, we won’t miss the call to the “cross”; Jesus said if we don’t die to self, we can’t have HIS life, but when we are willing to “take up” our own cross and “follow Jesus” where ever HE leads, we will find HIS life within us, HIS life seen through us, and HIS glory reflected in a Holy Spirit empowered, godly life!  Paul said it better than I can!

“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.”  Galatians 2:20

Jesus carried your sin and mine to Calvary; won’t you trust HIM with your life, for HE died for a debt HE didn’t owe, because we owed a debt that we couldn’t pay unless we go to HELL!  Jesus is able, willing, and victorious over sin, death, and HELL, if you’ll but come to HIM in repentance, and faith in HIS substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for sin—yours and mine.

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest,

that is passed into the heavens,

Jesus the Son of God,

let us hold fast our profession.

15 For we have not an high priest

which cannot be touched

with the feeling of our infirmities;

but was in all points tempted like as we are,

yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly

unto the throne of grace,

 that we may obtain mercy,

and find grace to help

 in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:14-16 

Jesus had an amazing conversation with Peter after the resurrection; a conversation that seems to be Jesus’ work of restoration in a beloved disciple/Apostle/friend who had fallen into the temptation of denial in the face of fear and trouble.  Do YOU/I “lovest thou ME more than these”?  You fill in the ______ of your “these”!  Have you failed HIM?

“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter,

Simon, son of Jonas,

lovest thou me more than these?

He saith unto him,

Yea, Lord;

thou knowest that I love thee.

He saith unto him,

Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time,

Simon, son of Jonas,

lovest thou me?

He saith unto him,

Yea, Lord;

thou knowest that I love thee.

He saith unto him,

Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time,

Simon, son of Jonas,

lovest thou me?

Peter was grieved because he said unto him

the third time,

Lovest thou me?

And he said unto him,

Lord, thou knowest all things;

thou knowest that I love thee.

Jesus saith unto him,

Feed my sheep.

18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

When thou wast young,

thou girdedst thyself,

and walkedst whither thou wouldest:

but when thou shalt be old,

thou shalt stretch forth thy hands,

and another shall gird thee,

and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

19 This spake he, signifying

by what death he should glorify God.

And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him,

Follow me.”  John 21:15-19

Just like the shepherd of Psalm 23, Jesus called Peter to trust HIM as THE Great Shepherd, knowing that his LORD had already walked through that “valley of the shadow of death” and not only died, but rose from the dead, and sat alive with him on the shore.  Are you following your Shepherd or falling into “these”—and my “these” will probably look different than yours, but we must be willing to “love Jesus” more!  It requires a lot of devotion and commitment to follow Jesus when everything around is calling us to “go fishing”!  Will you choose to follow HIM or just fall into whatever comes your way?  Remember who stands in the gap for those of HIS own—JESUS!

“But this man,

because he continueth ever,

hath an unchangeable priesthood.

25 Wherefore he is able also to save them

to the uttermost

that come unto God by him,

seeing he ever liveth

to make intercession for them.”  HeHebrews 7:24-25

Amen and Amen!!!

Enabler Or Transformer??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #117

04 Friday Aug 2023

Posted by in A Form of godliness?, Abiding In Jesus, Enabler or Transformer?, Holiness, Holy, Holy Living, Holy Spirit, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Is Truth, Jesus Knows, Jesus Knows YOUR Storm, Jesus Never Fails, Jesus Saves!, Jesus SinLESS Son of God, Jesus--our all in all

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Enabler Or Transformer??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #117

I would like to take our time today to address something that I have pondered this week due to a conversation I had recently; was Jesus an enabler?  It has weighed on my mind as I just couldn’t justify that thought with what I know scripture to reveal about my Lord and Savior, so I’d just like to share a few scriptures on that idea.  Jesus IS a transformer of lives by HIS blood, while yes, HE forgives our sins, HE doesn’t condone or ever enable saved people to continue to sin unchecked.  The lost also have a checking, but that judgment will come later, unless they turn to Jesus in repentance and faith in HIS substitutionary, atoning sacrifice!

The first passage I want us to consider is the account of the woman caught in adultery; when she was brought to Jesus and accused by the religious leaders, Jesus simply stooped down and wrote in the dirt.  What did He write?  I don’t know, but I do know that His silence in response to their fevered accusations against the woman seems to have evoked a change of heart (and it’s interesting that they brought the woman and not the man, just saying).  So here’s the ‘rest of her story’!

“Now Moses in the law commanded us,

that such should be stoned:

but what sayest thou?

6 This they said, tempting him,

that they might have to accuse him.

But Jesus stooped down,

and with his finger wrote on the ground,

as though he heard them not.

7 So when they continued asking him,

he lifted up himself,

and said unto them,

He that is without sin among you,

let him first cast a stone at her.

8 And again he stooped down,

and wrote on the ground.

9 And they which heard it,

being convicted by their own conscience,

went out one by one,

beginning at the eldest,

even unto the last:

and Jesus was left alone,

and the woman standing in the midst.

10 When Jesus had lifted up himself,

and saw none but the woman, he said unto her,

Woman, where are those thine accusers?

hath no man condemned thee?

11 She said,

No man, Lord.

And Jesus said unto her,

Neither do I condemn thee:

go,

and sin no more.

12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying,

I am the light of the world:

he that followeth me

shall not walk in darkness,

but shall have the light of life.”   John 8:5-12

While Jesus told the woman to “go and sin no more”, He didn’t condemn her, but called her to righteous living rather than the sin she had been caught in.  He also went on to define those who follow HIM as those who will “not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life”! JESUS!

There is an account of Jesus granting forgiveness to one of His own followers, the disciple Peter–the one who denied Him at His trial leading up to the crucifixion! I won’t list the account of Peter’s failure, but when he knew that what Jesus had told him about denying HIM had happened–that he had failed, he went out weeping (and I believe repentant).  But the Risen Lord didn’t leave it there; He came to Peter (just like He will come to each of us who call HIM LORD, no not in person, but by the power of the voice of the precious Holy Spirit speaking to my heart and yours), for restoration and a task.  Salvation transforms lives, it doesn’t just cover up sin with a religious smile!

Jesus didn’t leave Peter in a fallen state but restored HIM through forgiveness and an empowering commission.  And I believe when you search through scripture, you’ll find it’s almost always the case; and while we won’t take the time today to look at them, there are many accounts of God’s own going to far and facing an early judgment.  The Apostle John talks about a ‘sin unto death’ and this has to be for believers, for the lost are already spiritually dead.  We can keep ourselves close to our Lord, or we can fall into a state of spiritual failure, from where we can still call on Jesus to forgive and cleanse us (See 1 John 1:9).  Yet if we continually disregard God’s Word, call and work in our hearts and minds, HE says HE can take us home before our time.  It’s why we are to encourage one another to live holy, sharing truth as we have the opportunity. (And note Jesus says HE will do the judging and moving (not us), for HE will not enable our sin and failure to continue unchecked.)

“If any man see his brother sin a sin

which is not unto death,

he shall ask,

and he shall give him life

for them that sin not unto death.

There is a sin unto death:

I do not say that he shall pray for it.

17 All unrighteousness is sin:

and there is a sin not unto death.

18 We know that whosoever is born of God

sinneth not;

but he that is begotten of God

keepeth himself,

and that wicked one toucheth him not.

19 And we know that we are of God,

and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

20 And we know that the Son of God is come,

and hath given us an understanding,

that we may know him that is true,

and we are in him that is true,

 even in his Son Jesus Christ.

This is the true God, and eternal life.”  1 John 5:16-20

We can choose to walk in The Light, and God will keep us safe from the enemy, but if we choose to wander, there is always a consequence.  Hebrews 12 is very clear about God’s relationship with we who are HIS own.  As I have often taught openly and shared privately as well–if you can sin without regard, then you better check out what you think saved you.  Jesus won’t allow HIS own to go unchecked, there is godly, Holy Spirit discipline toward the redeemed.

“And ye have forgotten the exhortation

which speaketh unto you as unto children,

My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord,

nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,

and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening,

God dealeth with you as with sons;

for what son is he

whom the father chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement,

whereof all are partakers,

then are ye bastards,

and not sons.”  Hebrews 12:5-8

Jesus will never be an “enabler”, but are we choosing to walk close to our Lord, or wander off in the dark?  It’s your choice but remember there is a test, and HE disciplines HIS own (and the Greek word for chastening here, is a word that means all that is included in ‘child training’ not just corporal punishment)!

I pray this will help enlighten us to understand that God is ever at work in HIS own, and we are to pursue holiness and purity; and if we miss the mark (which we all do) God will correct us and restore us as needed.  I’m so grateful for HIS grace that forgives, heals, and restores.  It’s why I’m still here.  How about you?

“If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just

to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us

from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9

Amen and Amen!!!