Tag Archives: Trusting Jesus or Self

Trusting To Sight Alone??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #445

25 Saturday Apr 2026

Posted by in 'Come unto me, The Lord Is My Shepherd, The Love of God, This is the Way, Though HE slay me--still will I trust HIM, Though your sins be as scarlet-they shall be white as snow., Trials, Tried by FIRE!, True Knowledge, Trust, Trust God, Trusting God, Trusting Jesus, Truth is True, Try yourselves, Tuned In To Jesus, Turn to God's Word, Unexpected Interruptions

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Trusting To Sight Alone???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #445

There’s an old adage that said, “I’ll have to see it to believe it!”  While we’ve probably all said it at one time or another, it is 180 degrees opposite of biblical faith and God’s Word!  I am amazed at all that goes on in our so-called Christian culture with little to no regard for what God has clearly said in His Word.  I simply want to encourage us to consider what it really means to trust God in our daily walk, and I’ll start with one of my favorite passages.  I want us to simply walk through what the scripture actually gives us as a guide for living—not just life, but the living of it—for The Lord; are we ready to heed His Word?

“Trust in the LORD

with all thine heart;

and lean not

unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways

acknowledge him,

and he shall direct thy paths.

7 Be not wise

in thine own eyes:

fear the LORD,

and depart from evil.

 8 It shall be health to thy navel,

and marrow to thy bones.

9 Honour the LORD

with thy substance,

and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

10 So shall thy barns be filled

with plenty,

and thy presses shall burst out

with new wine.

11 My son,

despise not

the chastening of the LORD;

neither be weary

of his correction:” Proverbs 3:5-11

I find it interesting that many of us know verses 5-6 by heart, but we have often left that which follows untouched!  Do you see what God is telling us?  Yes, we are to trust GOD—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—with all our heart; and then God goes on to tell us that we are to “lean not” to our own understanding, abilities, strengths, intuitions, human reasoning, and the justifications of our culture claiming that wrong is right and vice-versa!  Isaiah warned us long ago of the danger of heeding wrong advice!  Isaiah warned of the very thing that we are watching take place in our culture.  Our job is to stand fast in “evil day”; and friends we are there!

“Woe unto them

 that call evil good,

and good evil;

that put darkness for light,

and light for darkness;

that put bitter for sweet,

and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe unto them

that are wise

in their own eyes,

and prudent

in their own sight!”  Isaiah 5:20-21

James warned a group of early believers that our lives ought to reflect God’s nature, the redeemed life, a sanctified life of virtue, character and holiness. Somewhere down the line we have chosen an “easy believism” that neglects repentance, regeneration and a changed life.  We are to keep our eyes on Jesus, The prize, and not the culture around us, no matter whom we fear might be ‘hurt’ by our proclamation of the Truth—Jesus!  Remember, the very proclamation of the truth of Who He was, is and ever shall be, cost Him His life, which He laid down willingly for my sin and yours!  What price are you and I unwilling to pay to proclaim God’s truth?  Let’s consider what James had to say, and I know this is a lengthy passage, but one which I pray will call us to account before our God and our Lord Jesus!

“For every kind of beasts, and of birds,

and of serpents, and of things in the sea,

is tamed,

and hath been tamed of mankind:

8 But the tongue can no man tame;

it is an unruly evil,

full of deadly poison.

9 Therewith bless we God,

even the Father;

and therewith curse we men,

which are made after

the similitude of God.

10 Out of the same mouth

proceedeth blessing and cursing.

My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

11 Doth a fountain

send forth at the same place

sweet water and bitter?

12 Can the fig tree, my brethren,

bear olive berries?

either a vine,

figs?

so can no fountain

both yield salt water and fresh.

13 Who is a wise man

and endued with knowledge among you?

let him shew out of a good conversation

his works with meekness of wisdom.

14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife

in your hearts,

glory not,

and lie not against the truth.

15 This wisdom descendeth not from above,

but is earthly,

sensual,

devilish.”  James 3:7-15

As I am often wont to say, “Saying so doesn’t make it so?”  What does my/your life style say? Our speech?  Our treatment of others?  Our generosity, or the lack thereof?  Paul gives us a very clear picture of living a life of faithful obedience or a life devoted to the world. (And just FYI, James isn’t saying that our tongue can’t be tamed; he is saying that no “man” can tame the tongue—only a redeemed heart can affect a man’s speech).  Jesus said it not me.

“Do not ye yet understand,

that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth

goeth into the belly,

and is cast out into the draught?

18 But those things

which proceed out of the mouth

come forth from the heart;

and they defile the man.

19 For out of the heart proceed

evil thoughts,

murders,

adulteries,

fornications,

thefts,

false witness,

blasphemies:” Matthew 15:17-19

Let us also consider today (I hope to address this again soon), Paul’s great picture of the contrast between the fleshly life and a holy life—lived in the power of Jesus through the work of His Holy Spirit. It’s your call, but judge wisely according to God’s Word not the world’s standard!

“This I say then,

Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil

the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit,

and the Spirit against the flesh:

and these are contrary the one to the other:

 so that ye cannot do

the things that ye would.

18 But if ye be led of the Spirit,

ye are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest,  

which are these;

Adultery, fornication, uncleanness,

lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry,

witchcraft, hatred, variance,

emulations,

wrath, strife, seditions,

 heresies, 21 Envyings, murders,

drunkenness, revellings, and such like:

of the which I tell you before,

as I have also told you in time past,

that they which do such things

shall not inherit

the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is

love, joy, peace,

longsuffering, gentleness, goodness,

faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:

against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ’s

have crucified the flesh

with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit,

let us also walk in the Spirit.”Galatians 5:16-25

I know that these are heavy things, but they are things that I truly believe we need to be reminded of.  As some of you know, I lost my husband 2 months ago and wound up in the hospital and rehab for a month shortly after his death.  It was a trying time, but my confidence was, has been and still is in the power, goodness and sovereign care of my Jesus!  No, it hasn’t been fun, nor has it been easy, but as Job said so long ago, “…though He slay me, still will I trust Him…” Job 13:15. And in closing I want us to consider another statement from some who trusted God out of the fire and in it!  Where’s your trust?

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king,

O Nebuchadnezzar,

we are not careful to answer thee

in this matter.

17 If it be so,

our God whom we serve

is able to deliver us

from the burning fiery furnace,

and he will deliver us

out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king,

that we will not serve thy gods,

nor worship the golden image

which thou hast set up.”  Daniel 3:16-18

Will you choose to stand with Jesus, or buckle under the threat of fire?  It’s your choice but choose wisely there is a test—and I think it may be coming very soon.  I’m praying for you.  As an old song said…” …they wouldn’t bend…they wouldn’t bow…they wouldn’t burn…” (from the song, The Fourth Man in the Fire, by Arthur Smith…), I pray that we will be found as faithful as they were, for they knew their God and His Word!  How about you and me?  I pray that God will find me faithful!

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?

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

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!!!

I Hope That Works For You??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 19 No. 08

25 Monday Jul 2022

Posted by in Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Abundant Life In Jesus, All About Jesus!, All Sufficient God!, Almost But Lost, Amazing Grace, Are you ready?, Choices And Consequences, Choose you this day?, Choosing Jesus or The World?, Is Small Insignificant?, It's All About The Cross, It's Your Choice, Redefining Christianity?, Redemption Through HIS Blood, Salvation, Saved by Grace Through Faith, The Crucified Life, The Gospel, The Light of The Word IS Jesus, Time Is Grace!, To Me To Live Is?

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bible Ballistics: Vol. 19 No. 08   I Hope That Works For You???

It is very easy to get caught up in the craziness of this world—the sin, the ungodliness, the temptations, the ease, greed, even forgetting God, and the total rejection of The Lord Jesus Christ!  How, you might ask?  I love Jesus, you might say; I’d never go against HIM!  Yet, we are often so ignorant and neglectful of HIS Word that we fall for the lies of the enemy.  After all they abound on every hand—they are in the music, on the TV, on social media, in the latest popular movies—just a little ‘Kool-Aid’ that has a bit of poison, and a little more, and then a little more until you don’t even notice it.  It is why Paul warned us to put on our armor and be ready to “withstand in the evil day”; and my friends it is here—it is now!

“Finally, my brethren,

be strong in the Lord,

and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God,

that ye may be able to stand

against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not

against

flesh and blood,

but against

principalities,

against

 powers,

against

the rulers of the darkness

of this world,

against

spiritual wickedness

in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you

the whole armour of God,

that ye may be able to withstand

 in the evil day,

and having done all,

to stand.”  Ephesians 6:10-13

It seems that we have so much imitation “Christianity” today, that many have bought the convenient version, rather than the real; yet the real was described by Jesus:

“And when he had called the people unto him

with his disciples also,

he said unto them,

Whosoever will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross,

and follow me.

35 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it;

but whosoever shall lose his life

for my sake

and the gospel’s,

the same shall save it.

36 For what shall it profit a man,

if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul?

37 Or what shall a man give

in exchange for his soul?

38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me

and of my words

in this adulterous

and sinful generation;

of him also

shall the Son of man be ashamed,

when he cometh in the glory of his Father

with the holy angels.”  Mark 8:34-38

Jesus clearly calls us to follow HIM and obey HIS WORD, and to do that we must know Jesus through saving grace, forgiveness of sin, and redemption through HIS blood.  And if I truly know HIM, I am called to surrender my will as well as my heart to HIM—take up HIS cross—which is what Paul also called us to do, yet so many today preach and teach and “easy believe-ism” that negates the cross, sin, repentance, and regeneration.  Jesus still saves and changes lives today…but only through the blood; for SIN my friends IS the issue!  If we deny our sin, we’ll never need a Savior!

“Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet

to be partakers of the inheritance

of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us

from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us

into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:”  Colossians 1:12-14

Did you get it?  Salvation delivers us “from the power of darkness” for by God’s saving power we are “translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son”!  CHANGED—from darkness unto light—The Light—JESUS!!!  Redeemed by HIS blood unto new life, a new creation.  (See 2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

We are called to take up our cross, live a crucified life, being dead to “self-will” and surrendered to “God’s will” by the power of the cross, Jesus’ blood, and the indwelling Holy Spirit!!!  How’s your choice working?

“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

So, back to our question, ‘Do you belong to Jesus?”; or are you simply shouting “Lord, Lord”, and replaying the ‘days of Noah’?

“But as the days of Noe were,

so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

38 For as in the days that were before the flood

they were eating

and drinking,

marrying

and giving in marriage,

until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

39 And knew not until the flood came,

and took them all away;

so shall also the coming

of the Son of man be.”  Mathew 24:37-39

If I may make a personal observation, and one that I truly believe fits, and have taught for many years, after studying these things for years:  I don’t think Jesus is pointing just to the sin of the days of Noah, but just as importantly, the fact that they were so busy doing “life” that they were oblivious to the message of the impending judgment of God!  America—we need to wake up to the impending judgment and get busy about “my Father’s business”!   Whose business are you taking care of?   Will you be like those in Noah’s day, and just carry on like there’s no tomorrow?  Like Jesus isn’t returning?  Not concerned about the coming flood of judgment, where the lines will be drawn, and if you have rejected Jesus, there will “be HELL to pay”!  No cursing, just fact.

“Even him, whose coming

is after the working of Satan

with all power

and signs

and lying wonders,

10 And with all deceivableness

of unrighteousness

in them that perish;

because they received not

the love of the truth,

that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause

God shall send them strong delusion,

that they should believe a lie:

12 That they all might be damned

who believed not the truth,

but had pleasure

in unrighteousness.”   2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

You have this life to choose Jesus or reject HIM, and believe me, my friends, you might fool the world around you, you may fool your friends, you may fool your mother, you may fool yourself—but YOU won’t fool JESUS!

“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.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth

these sayings of mine,

and doeth them,

I will liken him unto a wise man,

which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell not:

for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth

these sayings of mine,

and doeth them not,

shall be likened unto a foolish man,

which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell:

and great was the fall of it.”   Matthew 7:21-27

I close with a burdened heart asking that you examine yourself to see how your choices are working out for you?  Have you chosen Jesus?  If not, you can choose to bow before HIM and open the door of your heart to HIS transforming salvation, by repenting of your sin, and believing and receiving HIS substitutionary, atoning sacrifice made for you and me.  And if you’ll notice above, the rains, floods, and winds came to each house—but only the one founded on “The Rock”—Jesus—stood!  The houses looked the same on the outside, but the foundation made the difference.

Remember the question isn’t “will you bow before Jesus”, but when?  For every knee will bow—either now in this life in repentance and faith, or “then” you will bow before Jesus the Judge with no recourse of salvation.  It’s your choice but choose wisely there is a test—and it may be coming sooner than you think!

“Behold,

I stand at the door,

and knock:

if any man hear my voice,

and open the door,

I will come in to him,

and will sup with him,

and he with me.”  Revelation 3:20

Amen and Amen!!!

Monopoly Mentality??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 17 No. 08

06 Sunday Jun 2021

Posted by in All About Jesus!, Almost But Lost, Approved Unto God, Are You Ready, Beauty of Holiness, Believe IN Jesus, Born Again, By Him We Live, Changed Lives, Choices And Consequences, Clothed In His Righteousness, Consider Your ways, Deniable Truth? Really?, Faith, Faithfulness, False Lives, Follow Jesus, For Such A Time As This, God Knows, God Knows His Own, God's Faithfulness, God's Judgment, God's Presence Not Presents, Gospel, He Died That We Could Live, He Opens Blinded Eyes to SEE, Holy, Holy Living, Holy Spirit, If not now? When?, It's Your Choice, Jesus IN You!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Judgment, Knowing GOD, Knowing God's Word, Listening To God, Monopoly Mentality, Only One Way, Redeemed By HIS Blood, Repentance, Salvation, The Blood Cleanseth us from all Sin, The Word Or The World?, Today is the day of Salvation, Trusting Jesus?, Yesterday

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bible Ballistics: Vol. 17 No. 08 Monopoly Mentality???

 

Most of us have played the game of Monopoly at one time or another, some of us more recently than others; and one thing that most everyone remembers about the Monopoly board is getting a “get out of jail free” card.  I think many today have approached Jesus Christ The Lord in that way, and I’d like to take a few minutes to consider this attitude toward Jesus.  It seems to be a most popular ‘gospel’ and attitude toward Jesus.  Many today preach a message of “name it and claim it”—just use Jesus’ name as your own personal ‘heavenly slot machine’; then there are those who preach the ‘feel-good’ message that God only wants you to ‘feel good’ all the time.  I love what C. S. Lewis said in “Mere Christianity”, “We want not so much a Father but a grandfather in heaven, a God who said of anything we happened to like doing, ‘What does it matter so long as they are contented’?”

How said that we are trying to bring God down to our standard rather than pursuing the holiness that is God!  As Billy Graham once said to Phil Donahue, one of the early talk show hosts on television, “you’re trying to create God in your image” rather than realizing that we are made in God’s image but have fallen due to sin.   And that is an idea that is flourishing today—make the gospel fit us rather than recognizing our sin, repenting and turning to Jesus Christ for salvation—we just want a “grandfather” in heaven, doling out gifts and treats to his ‘grandchildren’.  We simply want a “get out of jail free” card, live how we want—do our own thing—but not have to pay for our sin; in fact, we don’t even want to bring sin into the equation!  Sin is old-fashioned, and we don’t have to call anything sin these days—if it feels good to you, it’s ok, just do it.  If it makes me ‘happy’ it will be pleasing to God.  But God says something different!

“Woe unto them that draw iniquity

with cords of vanity,

and sin

as it were with a cart rope:

19 That say,

Let him make speed,

and hasten his work,

that we may see it:

and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel

draw nigh

and come,

that we may know it!

20 Woe unto them that call evil good,

and good evil;

that put darkness for light,

and light for darkness;

that put bitter for sweet,

and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe unto them

that are wise in their own eyes,

and prudent in their own sight!”  Isaiah 5:18-21

Paul paints an amazing picture of man’s relationship to God, and SIN IS the issue.  Sin is a disease which we are born with, a disease for which we all have a bill due, one we will either pay for ourselves– for our sin in hell– or we can accept Jesus’ payment of HIS own blood shed at Calvary for our sin by repentance and faith and have eternal life with HIM!  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test (and I believe it is coming soon!)!

“For when ye were the servants of sin,

ye were free from righteousness.

21 What fruit had ye then in those things

whereof ye are now ashamed?

for the end of those things is death.

22 But now

being made free from sin,

and become servants to God,

ye have your fruit unto holiness,

and the end everlasting life.

23 For the wages of sin is death;

but the gift of God is eternal life

through Jesus Christ

our Lord.”  Romans 6:20-23

Are you serving “sin” or God?  Do you simply want a “get out of jail free” card, or have you “become servants to God”?  Do you desire to live having “fruit unto holiness”, or living your own way, dabbling in the sin and walking in the darkness of this world?  God says that you can choose to live in sin but notice the consequence: “For the wages of sin is death”!  And according to Paul’s clear truth: you can choose to live in sin or choose to come to Jesus in repentance and faith to be justified (made right with God!)!

“For all have sinned,

and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace

through the redemption

that is in Christ Jesus:”  Romans 3:23-24

Paul also told the Romans what this looks like, I invite you to consider this with me—it is so imperative that we understand what Jesus has done for us and will do for those who come to HIM in repentance and faith!

“Therefore being justified by faith,

we have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith

into this grace

wherein we stand,

and rejoice in hope

of the glory of God.

3 And not only so,

but we glory in tribulations also:

knowing that tribulation

worketh patience;

4 And patience,

experience;

and experience,

hope:

5 And hope maketh not ashamed;

because the love of God

is shed abroad in our hearts

by the Holy Ghost

which is given

unto us.

6 For when we were yet without strength,

in due time

Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man

will one die:

yet peradventure for a good man

some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us,

in that, while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

9 Much more then,

being now justified by his blood,

we shall be saved from wrath

through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies,

we were reconciled to God

by the death of his Son,

much more, being reconciled,

we shall be saved

by his life.

11 And not only so,

but we also joy in God

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

by whom we have now received

the atonement.

12 Wherefore,

as by one man sin entered into the world,

and death by sin;

and so death passed upon all men,

for that all have sinned:”  Romans 5:1-12

If SIN IS the issue—JESUS IS the only cure!  But when Jesus transforms a life—it is HIS work, and it shows.

“Being confident of this very thing,

that he which hath begun a good work

in you

will perform it

until the day of Jesus Christ:”   Philippians 1:6

Salvation is Jesus’ work of redemption, not man’s work of “self-righteousness”, or “good works”, or an “altered” standard!  When we belong to Jesus, we become new creations of God.

“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

Jesus took on my sin, so that I could receive HIS righteousness, and HIS Spirit dwelling in me, which will be evident to one degree or another.  What’s evident in your life?  Jesus? Or a “get out of jail free card”?  Jeremiah and Jesus both have something to say about our attitude toward God.

“…my people have forgotten me days without number…”. Jeremiah 2:32b

Let’s consider Jesus’ own commentary for those who only want to use His name rather than come to HIM in repentance and faith.  As my mother used to say, “You can fool all of the people some of the time, and you can fool some of the people all of the time, but you can’t fool GOD!”  Who are you trying to fool? (See Matthew 16:24-25)

“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.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings

of mine,

and doeth them,

I will liken him unto a wise man,

built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell not:

for it was founded

upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings

of mine,

and doeth them not,

shall be likened unto a foolishman,which

       built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell:

and great was the fall of it.”                   Matthew 7:20-27

And in closing, some food for thought; a passage that is often disregarded, but it is truth, and we must consider it.  I will simply call our attention to the qualifier: “such WERE some of you”…..”but ye are sanctified”.  It doesn’t matter what sin we “had”; it matters what Spirit controls us NOW!  For as Paul says in Romans 8:9b, “if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his”! I hope that you will ponder the words of scripture and measure with God’s judgment not man’s, “be not deceived”!

“Know ye not

that the unrighteous shall not inherit

the kingdom of God?

Be not deceived:

neither fornicators,

nor idolaters,

nor adulterers,

nor effeminate,

nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves,

nor covetous,

nor drunkards,

nor revilers,

nor extortioners,

shall inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you:

but

ye are washed,

but

ye are sanctified,

but

ye are justified

in the name of the Lord Jesus,

and by the Spirit of our God.”  1 Corinthians 6:9-11

And a final word from Jesus:

“Judge not according to the appearance,

but judge righteous judgment.”  John 7:24

With a Proverb:

“There is a way

that seemeth right unto a man,

but the end thereof

are the ways of death.”  Proverbs 16:25

The choice is yours but choose wisely—there is a test!  God’s WORD not mine!

Amen and Amen!!!