The Gospel Truth

Testimony! Testimony!

Speaking now the Gospel truth!

Live for Jesus, not a phony,

Do not live your life uncouth.

No excuses! No excuses!

Sin shall not rule in your heart.

Give your life to Jesus only,

And from your sin now depart.

Lazy living! Lazy living!

Do not give your life to that!

Walk in wisdom, and with purpose,

For the gospel stay on track.

Holy living! Holy living!

Bought with blood of Jesus Christ!

Leave your sins and follow Jesus,

And you’ll gain eternal life.

Don’t resist Him! Don’t resist Him!

Bound for hell you do not want!

Die to sin and worship Jesus,

And obey him, truth not taunt.

Live for Jesus! Live for Jesus!

Follow where He leads each day!

Share the gospel with the people,

Telling them they must obey.

Walk with Purpose! Walk with Purpose!

Do all of what God commands!

Know your calling, be a witness,

Walk with Jesus, hand in hand.

Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 

Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; 

Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Acts 26:18

An Original Work / May 29, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Minds Poisoned Against Us

Acts 14:1-3 NKJV

1Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. 2But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. 3Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

Faced with Opposition and Persecution

When we are walking in the ways of the Lord, in his truth and righteousness, in the power of God, as led by the Spirit of God, and so we are speaking to the people the truth of the gospel of Christ, undiluted, without compromise, we are bound to face opposition, rejection, slander, and persecution, even from many of our own people, many of whom profess faith in Jesus Christ. For so many people who profess faith in Jesus Christ are being taught lies, and they are believing the lies, and thus they are rejecting the truth that Jesus Christ and his New Testament apostles taught in biblical context.

And collectively they taught that to come to Christ we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. Therefore we are no longer to permit sin to reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, it results in death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it results in sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God. (see Luke 9:23-26 and Romans 6:1-23 and the New Testament)

And if we are being mistreated and rejected because we are teaching the truth of the gospel that many do not want to hear, we can choose to leave and to go someplace else, or we can choose to remain and to keep speaking the truth to the people, knowing full well that we will be faced with opposition from many of those who are believing the lies which are being fed to them. The apostles did both, depending upon the severity of the persecution, I believe. For, at first they stayed for a long time even after being opposed, but they left when they were aware a stoning would be next.

And next they went to Lystra and Derbe. But in Lystra they were being worshipped as gods by the people because they had healed a man. But the apostles tore their clothes in grief, and they tried fervently to stop them from doing so. But then the Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there and persuaded the multitudes, and then they stoned Paul and left him for dead. But when the disciples of Christ gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day Paul departed with Barnabas to Derbe. 

Acts 14:21-22 NKJV

21And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”

Going Back to Where You Were

Do you see what this is saying here? The place where they had stoned Paul and left him for dead was in Lystra. And so what did he and Barnabas do? They returned to Lystra. Why? In order to strengthen the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” 

So, have you ever been persecuted in a particular place, among a specific group of people, and so you left, but at a later time you went back, perhaps as led by the Holy Spirit, fully knowing that you might face the same kinds of persecution as you had before? I have done that at least twice that I am aware of. In both cases I did face some amount of persecution again, but not to the extent of the first round, and God has been able to use me in both places where I had previously been persecuted, so far. All glory to God!

But I have been persecuted and rejected by many people in multiple locations over my lifetime where God never sent me back, and for good reasons, too. So, sometimes the Lord says, “leave this place and don’t go back.” And other times he might encourage us to return to a place where we were previously persecuted, perhaps because something has changed, like maybe someone else is in charge, or they have changed their stance on some issues. And we must be willing to go back and trust the Lord to work it all out for his purposes and for his glory.

For we are not promised a life of ease and comfort. We are not promised that everyone will be kind to us and that we will never face being persecuted. In fact, we are promised the opposite of that, that we must go through many tribulations to enter the kingdom of God. For we are called to suffer for the sake of the name of Jesus and for the sake of his gospel message. But we are promised that our Lord will be with us to strengthen us and to help us through it all, if we will trust him and obey him always.

[Matthew 5:10-12; Matthew 10:16-25,34-39; Matthew 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 12:49-53; Luke 21:12-17; John 15:18-21; John 16:33; Acts 14:22; Romans 5:3-5; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 3:7-11; 1 Peter 1:6-7; 1 Peter 4:12-17; 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5; James 1:2-4; 2 Corinthians 1:3-11; Hebrews 12:3-12; Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 11:1-3; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:1-18; Revelation 14:1-13]

Safe in the Arms of Jesus

By Frances J. Crosby and William H. Doane 1868

Safe in the arms of Jesus,

Safe on His gentle breast;

There by His love o’ershaded,

Sweetly my soul shall rest.

Hark! ’tis the voice of angels

Borne in a song to me,

Over the fields of glory,

Over the jasper sea.

Safe in the arms of Jesus,

Safe from corroding care,

Safe from the world’s temptations;

Sin cannot harm me there.

Free from the blight of sorrow,

Free from my doubts and fears;

Only a few more trials,

Only a few more tears!

Jesus, my heart’s dear Refuge,

Jesus has died for me;

Firm on the Rock of Ages

Ever my trust shall be.

Here let me wait with patience,

Wait till the night is o’er;

Wait till I see the morning

Break on the golden shore.

https://youtu.be/BllH3EmH-og?si=mijnyAEtsN8JYV-K

Caution: this link may contain ads

Minds Poisoned Against Us

An Original Work / May 29, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Come Out of Her, My People

Acts 13:44-52 NKJV

 

On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. 45But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. 46Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. 47For so the Lord has commanded us:

 

‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,

That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

 

48Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

 

49And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region. 50But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium. 52And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

 

A Parallel to Today’s World

 

From soon after I was born in 1949, up unto 13 years ago, I attended institutional churches on a weekly basis. From my teenage years on up I was mostly an active participant in these institutional churches incorporated under (partnered with) the state. I sang in their choirs and ensembles, did special music, taught Sunday School and children and ladies’ Bible studies, helped with office work as a secretary (both volunteered and paid), and participated in evangelism and home Bible studies and other ministry efforts.

 

But beginning in my late 20’s, the Lord began calling me to an even deeper walk of faith in obedience to him and to a greater understanding of his word and what it teaches us and how that must be lived out in our daily lives. And I took God and his word very seriously, to put it into practice in my daily life. And the closer my walk of faith with my Lord the more I began meeting with disapproval from those in positions of authority over me within these institutional churches. For so many of them were becoming so worldly.

 

So many of them had turned away from what God intended for his church to be and they were marketing “the church” to the people of the world in order to grow their businesses (their “churches”) and to draw in large crowds of people from the world. So I became “collateral damage,” i.e. I was among the “fallout,” the injured, those having harm afflicted to them as a result of these “institutional churches” deciding to partner with the world and to reject so much of what is of God and of his commandments to his people.

 

There was a period of time in my life where I had endured so much suffering from so many different sources that I finally gave up, but then the Lord brought me back around, and he made me stronger in my walk of faith in him than I had ever experienced before. And after a while he then called me to this present ministry. And he put me on the internet. And eventually he convinced me that the institutional church is not the church, but we who are of true biblical faith in Jesus Christ, we are the church, the body of Christ.

 

And eventually he convinced me to come out from among those who were partnered with the world and with the government and to just serve him full time on the internet where he has given me a voice, and where there are people who want to hear what the Lord gives me to share. So this was a lot like the apostles who were largely rejected by the Jews then turning to the Gentiles who were willing to listen to what God had for them to share with the people. And I have been following the Lord in this for 22 years now.

 

But this isn’t just about me. The Lord is calling all of us who profess the name of Jesus to come out from among those who are partnered with the world and with the ungodly lest we take part in her sins and in her punishment. We are to come out from their midst, and to be separate from them. And we are to touch no unclean thing, i.e. we are not to participate in what is ungodly, and immoral, and what is opposed to the teachings of the Scriptures regarding our need to die to sin and to obey God in practice.

 

We are not to be partners with those who have turned the church into a place of business to be marketed to the people of the world just like any other business, and which has mostly compromised the truth of the gospel of our salvation to make it less offensive and more palatable to human flesh. And we are not to give our pledge of allegiance to the government or to any organization or nation, but to God alone. And the church is not a building or a business, but it is the people of genuine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[Matthew 21:12-13; John 2:13-17; Acts 5:27-32; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Philippians 3:18-19; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22; Revelation 13:5-8; Revelation 18:1-5]

 

Zeal for Your House

 

Based off John 2:17; Psalms 69:9

An Original Work / August 1, 2016

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

 

Zeal for Your house, it consumes me.

Lord, I love my times with You.

I love to worship You and sing Your praises.

Time in Your Word brings me closer to You,

List’ning to You speaking to me,

Gently guiding me in truth.

 

Lord, You are my life’s example,

Showing me how I should live.

I love to walk with You where’er You lead me.

No greater joy have I when serving You.

Loving, giving, resting in Your strength,

I’m yielding to Your will.

 

Zeal for Your house, it consumes me.

See the church turned upside down:

Marketing ventures taking place of worship,

Men of the gospel turning into clowns.

Gospel message made appealing,

So the world will feel at home.

 

Lord, we need a great revival.

Turn their hearts, Lord, back to You.

Open the blind eyes, turn them all from darkness,

Lord, to the light. May they return to You,

Turn from their sin, forsake idols,

Be restored to God again.

 

https://vimeo.com/177433676

 

Come Out of Her, My People

An Original Work / May 29, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Just Keep Knocking

I am reading in Acts 12:1-19, and it is long, so I will summarize some of it, and I will quote some of it. Herod was the king of that time period, and he stretched out his hand to mistreat some of the church (the people of faith in Jesus Christ). And he killed James, the brother of John, and he seized Peter, and he put him in prison. But the church was praying for Peter. And that night an angel of the Lord delivered Peter out of the prison and set him free.

 

Acts 12:12-17 NKJV

 

So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. 13And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. 15But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.”

 

16Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.

 

In Prison to Sin

 

And that is an awesome account of God’s grace, is it not? But as I read this account from the Scriptures this morning, I could not help but see a parallel here over to the grace of God in delivering us out of our bondage to sin. For to be living in addiction to sin is to be in prison to sin with no way out that we can create on our own, in our own flesh. And the “king” who put many people there is their own selfish will, and their unwillingness to be set free. Pride and self-glory and stubborn rebellion will keep many in prison to sin.

 

But the church was praying for his deliverance. And the church should indeed be praying for the deliverance of all people who are living in bondage (slavery, addiction) to sin. But sadly, in our day and time, at least here in the USA, much of what is called “church” is actually placating people in their sin who profess faith in the Lord, keeping them still bound in sin but convinced that all their sins are forgiven and that heaven is their eternal destiny. So, in a way, “the church” serves as the jailers which keep people in prison to sin.

 

Set Free From Prison

 

But, praise be to God, Jesus Christ was put to death on a cross to put our sins to death with him, and he rose victorious over death, sin, Satan, and hell, on our behalf, that we might now die with him to sin and live for him and in his righteousness in walks of surrender to our Lord in obedience to his commands. For Jesus taught that if anyone would come after him that he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and self) and follow (obey) him wherever he leads us in doing all that he commands us to do.

 

Don’t Give Up!

 

And many of those who have truly been set free from their imprisonment to sin are knocking on the door of “the church,” and they are requesting to be let inside so that they can share with them the message of the gospel of our salvation from sin. But so much of what is called “church” here in America is not listening to the one knocking, and is not believing them, and so is not letting them inside. And sadly, if the Lord chooses a woman to be his messenger, she is often treated as though what she says is worthless.

 

But if we do not give up, and if we keep knocking on the hearts of the people of this world, including on the hearts of many who profess Jesus as Lord, but who are still living in prison (bondage, slavery, addiction) to sin, perhaps some of them will let us inside (not inside buildings, but inside their lives). And they will listen to us share with them how Jesus sets us free from our prisons. And they will, in turn, repent of (turn away from) their sins and they will now serve the Lord Jesus with their lives in surrender to his will.

 

And then we should encourage them to go and to share the good news of our salvation, that we can, by the grace of God, in the power of God, and by biblical faith in Jesus Christ, be crucified with Christ in death to sin, and be raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but now as servants of righteousness in walks of obedience to our Lord in doing all that he commands us and he leads us to do, for his purposes, and for his glory, and for the salvation of human souls from hell.

 

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

 

There’s a New Song in My Heart 

 

By John W. Peterson

 

Once my life was filled with discord, sadness reigned within,

For my heart was heavy laden with a weight of sin.

 

What a wondrous transformation in my life was wrought

When I trusted Christ as Savior and His pardon sought.

 

Someday, I will go to heaven where the angels sing,

And I’ll join their happy chorus, praising Christ the King.

 

I shall never cease in praising Jesus Christ my Lord

For the wonderful salvation that He did accord.

 

There’s a new song in my heart

Since the Savior set me free;

There’s a new song in my heart,

‘tis a heavenly harmony!

All my sins are washed away

by the blood of Calvary;

O what peace and joy nothing can destroy:

There’s a new song in my heart!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8OmrDyXeK4

 

Caution: This link may contain ads

 

Just Keep Knocking

An Original Work / May 28, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

But God Has Shown Me

The passage of Scripture is from Acts 10:1-48 and Acts 11:1-18, which is all one story, so I am going to summarize much of this and I will quote sections of it, so I would encourage you to read the whole passage of Scripture.

There was a man named Cornelius, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who prayed to God always. And one day he had a vision of an angel of God calling his name. And he said for him to send for Simon Peter, so that is what he did. And the next day Peter had a vision where he was told to eat that which had been forbidden under the Old Covenant law. So, he said, “Not so, Lord!” But the voice spoke, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” And this was done three times.

While Peter thought about the vision the men sent from Cornelius showed up at Peter’s house. And the next day Peter went away with them to see Cornelius. And many people had gathered there to hear Peter. 

Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?” (Acts 10:28-29 NKJV)

Then Cornelius told Peter his story. And then he said, 33“Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.” 34Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. (Acts 10:33-35 NKJV) 

Speaking of Jesus Christ, Peter said, “Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” 

44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

Then Peter answered, 47“Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days. (Acts 10:40-48 NKJV)

The Lesson For Us

God can and will speak to us through visions and dreams and parables to lead us in the way that he would have us to go if we will be willing to let him do that. For, even though the Scriptures do teach us the ways of the Lord, and they give us his commands in the “do’s and do nots,” the Scriptures do not lead us all in very specific ways the Lord has for us individually in letting us know where to go and what to do and what to say. And this is one reason we are given the Holy Spirit within us to counsel us in the ways we’re to go.

For God has gifted us with spiritual gifts, who believe in Jesus, and he has given us our “body part” assignments within the body of Christ, and he has very specific callings upon our lives individually. And he has specific tasks he wants us to do each day which we may not know what it is until that day comes. And so he has to have a way to communicate those things to us. And so sometimes he will use dreams and visions and parables as a means to get across to us his very specific assignments he has for us, one day at a time.

Now, when I was young, and I would say, “God showed me,” I was scolded by my pastor and told I should say rather, “I think,” as though it was just my opinion. But that wasn’t true that it was just my opinion, for the Lord did speak to me in ways that were specific to my life as I studied the Scriptures and as I was being led by the Holy Spirit living within me. And that is how I knew what I was to do and where I was to go that was very specific just to me and not general instructions given to all followers of Jesus Christ.

But what if Cornelius and Peter had ignored their visions from God? What if they refused because someone told them that God doesn’t speak to us that way, although he certainly did speak that way to people in the Bible? The people who were saved may have been saved anyway, but they would have missed out on that blessing from God and how God wanted to use them. And then God couldn’t use them in the ways that he did because their ears and hearts would be closed to allowing the Lord to lead them in that way.

But because they both heard from the Lord, and they listened, and they did as they were instructed, many people who did not know Jesus previously believed in the Lord and received the Holy Spirit. And from that the gospel of our salvation was spread to the Gentiles, which had been prophesied in the Scriptures a long time ago. And because I obeyed the Lord’s calling on my life, the message of the gospel is going to people all over the world via the internet. And people are hearing the truth of the gospel. All glory to God!

So don’t shut out the Lord’s voice speaking to you through dreams, visions, or parables in order to show you specifically what he has for you to do. Test what you are seeing or hearing against the truth of the Scriptures, and in prayer, to make certain that what you are hearing or seeing is from God, and that it aligns with the Scriptures, but then follow the leading of the Holy Spirit within you. Go where he sends you, and say to the people all that he gives you to say, and do not put out the Spirit’s fire because men say to.

[Matthew 5:13-16; Matthew 28:18-20; John 4:31-38; John 13:13-17; John 14:12; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:14-18,42-47; Acts 26:18; Romans 10:14-15; Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Corinthians 14:1-5; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:11-21; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:12-16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20; 1 Peter 2:9,21; 1 John 2:6]

There’s a Stirring

By Annie Herring

There's a stirring deep within me

Could it be my time has come

When I'll see my gracious savior face to face when all is done

Is that his voice I am hearing?

'Come away, my precious one'

Is he calling me?

Is he calling me?

I will rise up, I’ll rise up

And I’ll bow down 

And lay my crown

At His wounded feet

There's a stirring deep within me

But God Has Shown Me

An Original Work / May 28, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

A Chosen Vessel of Christ's

The apostle Paul, formerly called Saul, had been a persecutor of Christ’s followers until Jesus, in the spirit, appeared to him on the road to Damascus, and he called Saul (Paul) to his service. Then the Lord spoke to one of the Lord’s disciples named Ananias, and he called him to lay hands on Saul so that he would receive his sight, but Ananias was hesitant because of Saul’s reputation as a persecutor of Christ’s followers who were of “The Way.”

 

Acts 9:15-16,19-20,22-27 NKJV

 

15But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” “19… Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. 20Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.” “22But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

 

23Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him. 24But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. 25Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket. 26 And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. 27But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles…”

 

A Chosen Vessel

 

In actuality, all of us who are of true faith in Jesus Christ are God’s/Christ’s chosen vessels. All of us have been called to be servants of the Lord in taking the message of the gospel of Christ to the people of the world. All of us are to proclaim the excellencies of God who called us out of darkness (sin) into his wonderful light (truth, righteousness, obedience to God). We are all to be his witnesses throughout the world in making disciples of Christ of people of all nations, teaching them to obey our Lord’s commands.

 

[Matthew 5:13-16; Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 9:23-26; John 4:31-38; John 10:27-30; John 13:13-17; John 14:12; Acts 1:8; Acts 26:18; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 10:14-15; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-14; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Peter 2:9,21,24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

 

Some of us the Lord calls to do this full-time, as our full-time assignment from God, pay or no pay (financially). And others are not called to do this full-time because they have other jobs (so as to pay their bills), and they have families to care for and houses to take care of. But that doesn’t mean they are not called of God, i.e. that they are not also chosen vessels of the Lord to bear his name and his gospel message before the people of the world. And this doesn’t have to all be on the clock, for God gives us divine appointments, sometimes when we least expect it, so we need to be on call.

 

How Much You Must Suffer

 

But along with being called of God to be his messengers (vessels) in taking the truth of the gospel of Christ to the people of the world, we will be opposed, criticized, ridiculed, mocked, rejected, scorned, rebuked, cast aside as unwanted, and ignored. And there will be people who will oppose us fiercely, and some who may even want us dead. And we will have other “Christians” who will pull away from us because they will think we are just weird because we no longer blend in with the people of the world.

 

Yet, when Jesus called Saul (Paul) to his service, as his chosen vessel to take the message of the gospel to the Jews and to the Gentiles, the Lord told Ananias that he would show Saul (Paul) how much he must suffer for the sake of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And when we read the Scriptures today about what God requires of us who bear his name, he also lets us know that being Christ’s followers means that we will suffer for the sake of the name of Jesus and for his gospel. But don’t let that dishearten you. Keep pressing forward and keep sharing the truth that Jesus taught.

 

The Gospel Message

 

For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

 

And Paul taught that by God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ, which is not of our own doing, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to righteousness in walks of obedience to God’s commands. We are no longer to permit sin to reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, it results in death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it results in sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (see Romans 6:1-23; and Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10).

 

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

 

There’s a Stirring

 

By Annie Herring

 

There's a stirring deep within me
Could it be my time has come
When I'll see my gracious savior face to face when all is done
Is that his voice I am hearing?
'Come away, my precious one'
Is he calling me?

Is he calling me?

I will rise up, I’ll rise up
And I’ll bow down
And lay my crown
At His wounded feet

There's a stirring deep within me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yocTjkB6hV8

 

A Chosen Vessel of Christ’s

An Original Work / May 27, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Our God of Second Chances

Corrected by The Lord

 

Acts 9:1-6 NKJV

 

1Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

 

3As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” 6So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

 

Saul, who later became the apostle Paul, was then a persecutor of the church, the body of Christ who believed in Jesus Christ as their Messiah and Lord, a faith in Jesus Christ which was then called “The Way.” But God had a different plan for the life of Saul/Paul. He planned that Saul/Paul would no longer be a persecutor of Christ’s followers, but that he would become a follower of Christ himself, a servant of the Lord, and a minister of the gospel of Christ to the people of the world. And that he did faithfully to the death.

 

So, Jesus Christ, in the spirit, visited Saul who was on his way to persecute, and perhaps also to put to death, even more followers of “The Way.” And this is interesting how Jesus approached him. He said to Saul, “Why are you persecuting me?” So why did he say that when it was the followers of Christ he was persecuting? Because, as followers of Christ, we are part of his body, and therefore how others treat us who are truly his followers, they are treating Christ in the same way. And that is an important thing to realize.

 

For if anyone who claims faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and/or including the Lord Jesus, is mistreating a genuine follower (disciple) of Jesus Christ who is speaking truth to the people, that person is also mistreating the Lord Jesus. For to “kick against the goads” is to fight against the will of God, against the leading and direction of God in the lives of those who profess his name, but out of a desire to go it their own way. And so sometimes the Lord has to discipline his people to get them back on track.

 

But Saul responded to the Lord’s correction and discipline with the right heart, mind, and attitude. Instead of resisting the Lord out of a stubborn heart, mind, and self-will, Saul submitted to Christ and to his will. And he said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” And this is the kind of response and attitude that all of us should have when we are corrected by the Lord if we are, perhaps, going the wrong direction. I was there once, and the Lord corrected me, and he brought me back, and he showed me, too, what to do.

 

Called of God to Ministry

 

Acts 26:14-18 NKJV

 

And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

 

Here Paul shared his testimony of his conversion with his opposition. And here we read what Jesus assigned Paul to do. He was to be a minister and a witness of the things which he had seen from Christ and the things which Jesus would yet reveal to him by the Spirit. And the Lord would deliver him from those who would come against him and who would certainly persecute him for his faith in the Lord Jesus, just as he had done to others. And he was in the middle of one of those situations when he shared this testimony.

 

But he was to go to the Jews and to the Gentiles, many of whom would persecute him, and he was to “open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in” Christ. And this is the essence of the gospel message that, by faith in Jesus Christ, we will now turn away from our sins, and that we will now walk in faithfulness to our Lord and to his commandments.

 

And this is the call of God on the lives of all who profess faith in Jesus Christ, first that we will be those who repent (turn from) our sins and now obey our Lord’s commands, in practice, in the power of God. And then that we would share that message of the gospel with the people of the world as often as possible, wherever possible, and especially on the internet which is presently still open to most of us to share the truth of the gospel with the people of the world. But it won’t be long before that all is going to change.

 

But if you are someone who professes faith in Jesus Christ, but who is still living to please the flesh, and not God, don’t think that there is no hope for you or that God could never use you after you did “such and such.” We serve a forgiving God and a God of second chances. But we must turn from our sins, and we must now obey our Lord, in practice, and make him truly Lord of our lives. For this is not something we can do in the flesh, but only in the power of God as our lives are surrendered to him and to his service.

 

[Matthew 5:13-16; Matthew 28:18-20; John 4:31-38; John 13:13-17; John 14:12; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:14-18,42-47; Acts 26:18; Romans 10:14-15; Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Corinthians 14:1-5; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:11-21; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:12-16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20; 1 Peter 2:9,21; 1 John 2:6]

 

Servant of the Lord

 

Based off Romans 1:1-17

An Original Work / July 26, 2012

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

 

Servant of the Lord;

For the gospel you’re set apart.

Promised through the prophets of old:

Jesus, Son of God.

Through Him, and for His name alone,

We receive His grace

To call people, Him to obey;

Coming from their faith.

Servant of the Lord,

For the gospel you’re set apart.

Promised through the prophets of old:

Jesus, Son of God.

 

You belong to Christ;

Loved by God, and called to be saints;

Serving God with whole heart and mind;

Preaching Jesus Christ;

Always praying for others’ needs;

Helping hand to lend;

Giving courage to others’ faith,

For the praise of God.

You belong to Christ;

Loved by God, and called to be saints;

Serving God with whole heart and mind;

Preaching Jesus Christ.

 

Servant of the Lord;

Of the gospel, I’m not ashamed;

For salvation, power of God

To those who have faith.

In the gospel find righteousness:

Being right with God.

Turn from sin, and trust Jesus Christ.

By faith, live in Him.

Servant of the Lord;

Of the gospel, I’m not ashamed;

For salvation, power of God

To those who have faith.

 

https://vimeo.com/119511640

 

Our God of Second Chances

An Original Work / May 27, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love