All Things Working for Good

Romans 8:18,26-30 ESV

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us… Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to share in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, becoming like him in his death. So, first we must deny self, then die daily to sin and to self, and follow our Lord in obedience. And when we do that we will suffer persecution for righteousness’ sake, especially if we are sharing the truth of the gospel at a time in our history when the truth is being exchanged for a lie, it seems by the majority.

And when we suffer for the sake of the name of Jesus and for the sake of his gospel of salvation, we may not know what to do or how to respond, and so the Holy Spirit, who is living within us, helps us. He gives us strength to endure and wisdom in knowing what to say and what to do, and he intercedes for us in prayer when we don’t know what to ask for or when we are at a loss for words. Many times in my life all I could say was “Help!”

Now, regardless of what all we are having to suffer for the sake of righteousness, and for the sake of the truth of the gospel, the Spirit intercedes for us according to the will of God. And so we who are following our Lord in obedience can be comforted in knowing that God is working all things together for our good. And “our good” is defined by God and not by us, for suffering is for our good, to grow us to maturity in our walks of faith.

And this is for us who have been called according to his purpose. So this promise is not for everyone who says, “Lord, Lord,” and who professes faith in Jesus Christ. This is for us who love (obey) our Lord and who are called and who are living, in practice, according to God’s will and purpose for our lives. And so even if things are not looking so good to us, at least on a surface level, we can be assured that God’s purpose will prevail.

For, as those whose lives are committed to Christ, to walking in his ways and in his truth, and who are obeying him, in practice, we are being conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ through the things that we suffer. We are being made to be like Jesus in character, in thought, in word, and in deed. He is changing us and growing us up in him. And this is not just for our benefit, but for the benefit of others to whom he would have us minister.

Suffering and Ministry

[Matt 5:10-12; Matt 10:16-25; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 6:22-23; Lu 21:12-19; Jn 15:1-21; Jn 16:33; Jn 17:14; Ac 14:22; Rom 5:3-5; Phil 3:7-11; 1 Pet 1:6-7; 1 Pet 4:12-17; 2 Tim 3:12; 1 Thess 3:1-5; Jas 1:2-4; 2 Co 1:3-11; Heb 12:3-12; 1 Jn 3:13; Rev 6:9-11; Rev 7:9-17; Rev 11:1-3; Rev 12:17; Rev 13:1-18; Rev 14:1-13; Rom 12:1-8; Rom 15:14; 1 Co 12:1-31; Eph 4:1-16; Eph 5:17-27; Php 2:1-8; Col 3:16; Heb 3:13; Heb 10:23-25] 

Songs in the Night  

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

https://vimeo.com/379484387

Are You in Christ, in Truth?

Romans 8:1-8 ESV

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Many people are quoting these first two verses out of context and they are applying them broadly to anyone who makes a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. But we need to keep reading, for that is not who this applies to. This applies only to those who walk (in conduct, in practice) not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit of God. For to be in Christ we must be crucified and buried with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin but as slaves to God.

So, we have to read these verses in the context of the book of Romans, and in the context of the whole of the teachings of Christ and of his NT apostles. For you are not “in Christ” just because you profess to be “in Christ” by a faith in him, which may or may not be God-given and God-persuaded faith. For we are “in Christ” when we die with him to sin and we live to him and to his righteousness, in the power of God, when sin is no longer what we practice, but holiness and obedience to our Lord are what we practice.

So, what does it mean to be “in Christ”?

• Crucified with Christ in death to sin (Rom 6:3-7)
• Raised with Christ to walk in newness of life (Rom 6:3-7)
• Dead to sin and alive to God (Rom 6:11)
• Obedience to Christ leading to righteousness (Rom 6:16)
• Set free from law of sin and death (Rom 8:2)
• Walk not according to flesh but according to Spirit (Rom 8:1-17)
• Minds set on God’s Spirit (Rom 8:1-17)
• Debtors not to live according to the flesh (Rom 8:12-13)
• By the Spirit put to death deeds of the flesh (Rom 8:13)
• A new creation: the old gone, the new come (2 Co 5:17)
• Crucified with Christ; no longer I live, Christ in me (Gal 2:20)
• Faith working through love (Gal 5:6)
• Faithful in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:1)
• In Christ might be to the praise of his glory (Eph 1:12)
• We are his workmanship, created for good works (Eph 2:10)
• Truth in Christ – put off old self, put on new self (Eph 4:20-24)
• Not living in sin, not making sin practice (Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-5)
• Suffer for the sake of the name of Jesus (Php 1:29)
• Have same mind and attitude as Jesus (Php 2:5-8)

• Saved by Grace and called to holy calling (Eph 2:8-9; 2 Tim 1:9)

For, if we live according to the flesh, even after we have professed faith in Jesus Christ, our minds are set on the flesh, and not on the Spirit of God. And the mind set on the flesh is death, not life eternal. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. And God is not pleased with us just because we confessed him as Lord and Savior. We must live to please him in all that we are and say and do.

Pleasing God: [Romans 8:8; 2 Corinthians 5:9; Galatians 6:8; Ephesians 5:10; Colossians 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 2:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:1; 2 Timothy 2:4; Hebrews 11:6; Hebrews 13:6; 1 John 3:22]

Romans 8:12-14 ESV

“So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

So, because of what Jesus Christ did for us, we are debtors to God, but not to the flesh to live according to the flesh. For if we live according to the flesh, and if we walk in sin, and not in obedience to our Lord, and not in holy living, we are going to die in our sins regardless of what faith in Christ we have professed with our lips. And heaven will not be our eternal destiny. But if by the Spirit we are putting to death the deeds of the body/flesh, then we will live with Christ for eternity. 

For it is us who are being led by the Spirit of God and who are following our Lord in obedience who are the children of God. So, if we keep on sinning, making sin our practice, deliberately and habitually, and if righteousness is not what we practice, by the Spirit, then we don’t know God, we are not born of God, God’s Spirit does not live within us, and we are of the devil. And we will not inherit eternal life with God regardless of what our lips profess. So, please take this to heart, for it is what the Scriptures teach:

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

No Less  

An Original Work / March 19, 2012

I can do no less than praise You,

Lord, for all You’ve done for me.

You died for my sins to save me,

So I would be set free.

I adore You! Lord, I praise You!

Jesus, Savior, King of kings!

You provided my redemption.

Your grace has pardoned me.

I can do no less than serve You. 

Lord, Your witness I would be,

Telling others of Your love,

And why You died on that tree.

Tell of how You gave of Your life,

So from sin we’d be set free,

So we could worship You forever,

And live eternally.

I can do no less than love You,

Lord, for You have first loved me.

You gave of Your life so willing,

Because You cared for me.

Turn from my sin! Obey freely!

Live for You each passing day.

Read Your word, and follow Your lead,

Lord, as I humbly pray. 

https://vimeo.com/125493623

In the Eyes of God

Psalms 37:23-24 ESV

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord,

    when he delights in his way;

though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,

    for the Lord upholds his hand.”

Psalms 37:23-24 NIV

“The Lord makes firm the steps

    of the one who delights in him;

though he may stumble, he will not fall,

    for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”

If our Lord delights in us, i.e. he takes pleasure in us because we take pleasure in him, and we are mindful of him and attentive to his ways, and we are eager and zealous to do what he commands, and we are those who follow in his ways, and not in the ways of the flesh, then he directs our steps, our walks of faith. He guides and directs us in the way that we should go, and he empowers us to do his will and to serve him with our lives.

For he planned in advance who we should be and what we should be like, and he predetermined that we should be conformed to the likeness of Christ and to walk in his ways and in his truth, and that we should live holy lives unto God and no longer walk in sin, in practice. For we were fearfully and wonderfully made by God, and all the days ordained for us were written in God’s book before one of them came into being. 

[Psalms 139:13-16; Romans 1:6-7; Romans 8:28-29; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 1:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 2 Timothy 1:8-9; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 1:3]

But we still live in flesh bodies. We are but clay in the hands of the Potter, and he is molding us into his likeness, when we cooperate with him in his work of grace in our lives. So we may still sin, at times (1 John 2:1-2), although we are not to sin for Jesus rescued us from our slavery to sin so that we might now walk in his holiness and righteousness (Romans 6:1-23). But we’re not to continue in deliberate and habitual sin (Galatians 5:16-21).

So, what I believe this is saying to us who are walking in the ways of the Lord, and not in deliberate and habitual sin, is that if we should sin, or if we should fall into some kind of calamity, whatever it may be, he will lift us back up and he will keep us moving in the right direction if we cooperate with him. And this is so that we do not get discouraged or disheartened and then give up hope, but so we have the strength to continue in our walks of faith.

But please be aware here that this is not speaking of those who make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ but then who continue to walk in sin and not in righteousness and holiness. For if sin is what we practice, and not obedience to our Lord, and not righteousness and holiness, then we are not in relationship with God, we don’t know him, we are not borne of him, and we do not have eternal life in him. So please take this to heart.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

Video Talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY07T7QmP6o

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My Sheep  

An Original Work / June 24, 2012  

Based off John 10:1-18 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full… 

They know my voice, so they follow me.

https://vimeo.com/114938263

In Newness of Life

Romans 6:1-6 ESV

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.”

When we believe in Jesus Christ with God-given faith (divine persuasion), we are crucified and buried with Christ in death to sin, and we are raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. By faith in him we die to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we are transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God, and we are given new lives in Christ to be lived for his glory.

Therefore we are not to continue in sin. For God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, instructs (trains) us to renounce (say “No!” to) ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return. For Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (see Titus 2:11-14; cf. Ephesians 2:10).

Romans 6:12-13,16 ESV

“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”

“Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?”

Therefore, we are not saved from our sins so that we can continue living in sin, only now without guilt or remorse. Our salvation from sin means we die with Christ to our former ways of living and now we follow Jesus in obedience to his ways. Sin is no longer our master. Now Jesus is our Lord and Master. Our lives now belong to him. We are his possession, and now our will is to do the will of God for our lives.

So, if our faith in Jesus Christ is God-given faith (divine persuasion), then sin is no longer to reign in our mortal bodies, to make us obey its passions. We aren’t supposed to live like we did before. Our lives should now be dedicated to the Lord Jesus to serve him in all that we think and do and say. So, we are not to give ourselves over to what is of the flesh and is sinful and is ungodly, but we are to surrender our lives to Christ to do his will.

For, if sin is what we obey and what we practice, it will end in death, not in eternal life with God. But if obedience to our Lord is what we obey, it will lead to righteousness and to sanctification, and its end is eternal life. For not everyone who says to Christ, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one doing the will of God the Father who is in heaven. And Jesus said we must deny self, die daily to sin, and follow (obey) him.

Romans 6:20-23 ESV

“For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I can still recall the first time I read this first sentence here and understood what it meant. It was eye opening for me at that time. For if we remain slaves to sin, i.e. if we continue in deliberate and habitual and often premeditated sin against God, and against other humans, then we are not righteous as God is righteous, even if we professed faith in Jesus Christ with our lips. For it is those who practice righteousness who are righteous.

And, again, if that is how we are living, still in slavery to sin, still deliberately and habitually sinning against God, the end of those things is death, not life eternal with God. So, who has the hope and the promise of eternal life with God? It is those who are slaves of God and of his righteousness, who serve him with their lives and who no longer are enslaved to sin. They are those who make righteousness their practice, and not sin.

So, when this last verse states that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, we can’t read that independent of the rest of the context of this chapter. For this is not about Jesus just handing us the gift of salvation and nothing being required of us at all. So when this says that the wages of sin is death, it means that the payment for continued and deliberate sin is death, not life eternal with God.

And the gift of God is our salvation, but our salvation is freedom from slavery to sin and it is empowerment of God to live godly and holy lives to the glory of God. And that is the point that this whole chapter makes. So, if we continue living in sin after we have professed faith in Christ, heaven is not what awaits us on the other side. For the wages of our sin is death. So, it is those who are slaves of God who have eternal life in Christ our Lord.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

Songs in the Night  

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

https://vimeo.com/379484387

Not the Hearers, But the Doers

Romans 2:12-13,17-24 ESV

“For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.” 

“But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. For, as it is written, ‘The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you’.”

Now, this part of Paul’s letter was specifically addressed to the Jews who had been living under the Old Covenant, and since most of us were never under the Old Covenant, this writing will be mostly applied to our current situation today. For there is much here that does apply to us if considered under the teachings of the New Covenant. For we who believe in Jesus do not have to obey the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, purification, and dietary laws.

So, how can we apply this to our lives today? Well, for one, we still have to obey our Lord’s commands to us, only they are his commands under the New Covenant, which are spelled out for us in the New Testament. We still must forsake our former lives of living in sin and for self, and we still must follow our Lord in obedience to his commands in living holy and godly lives, pleasing to him. That has not changed with time.

And it is still true that it is not the hearers of the Word of God and of the gospel of our salvation who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of God’s commands who will be justified. And three passages of Scripture come to mind here, the first of which is James 1:22-25, then Matthew 7:21-23, then 1 John 3:7. And they all say that we must be doers of the word and not hearers only, for it is whoever practices righteousness who is righteous.

And then this moves on to the subject of hypocrisy. Today this would be regarding those who make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ, who profess to believe in what the Scriptures teach. Some of them even know the Scriptures well, at least intellectually, and some of them have taught or are presently teaching the Scriptures, so some of them are also pastors of church congregations. But they are not living what they teach and preach.

So, when they try to tell others what the Scriptures teach, or when they spout out the truth of the Scriptures, but when they themselves are not living what they teach, but they are doing the opposite, then they are hypocrites. For they see themselves as guides to blind, but while they still walk in darkness. And that is because their minds are filled with all kinds of biblical knowledge, but which they do not put into practice in their lives.

For it is not what we know that matters so much as it is what we do with what we know. Are we putting into daily practice the teachings of Christ and of his New Testament apostles which were written down for our instruction? Or are we still holding on to sin or just to pet sins, and so we don’t want to let go? We know the way of salvation. We know what God requires of us. But are we choosing the ways of the Lord or the ways of the flesh?

And this doesn’t have to be about someone preaching or teaching the Word of God, either. For if you profess to believe the Word of God, then you are professing to believe that we, as followers of Christ, are to live in moral purity, truthfulness, and faithfulness, and not in adultery, lying, and in sexual immorality. So, when you do the opposite of that, you are being a hypocrite. And we are not to be hypocrites.

So, what’s the bottom line here? It is really summed up for us here:

“For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified” (Romans 2:13).

For we are all given the opportunity to choose God or to choose the flesh (see Romans 1:18-32). So, if we choose the flesh over God, we are without excuse, and we will die in our sins, and we will not have eternal life with God regardless of what faith in Christ we professed with our lips. For to choose God means leaving our lives of sin behind us to follow our Lord in obedience to his commands and in holy living, by the Spirit of God.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

My Sheep  

An Original Work / June 24, 2012  

Based off John 10:1-18 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full… 

They know my voice, so they follow me.

https://vimeo.com/114938263

With All Your Heart

Proverbs 3:5-8 ESV

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

    and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him,

    and he will make straight your paths.

Be not wise in your own eyes;

    fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

It will be healing to your flesh

    and refreshment to your bones.”

As I read this passage of Scripture today, the first thing that stood out to me was to define the word “trust.” For to trust the Lord is not just words we say or an emotional or intellectual decision we make one time in our lives to believe (not usually defined) in Jesus Christ. So, when a lot of people say that they have trusted in Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Savior, oftentimes it is nothing more than a profession of faith in Jesus Christ they make which they believe promises them forgiveness of all sins and heaven upon death.

Well, it appears that this word “trust” has the same meaning as “faith,” and it means to be persuaded, in this case to be persuaded by God in accordance with his divine will and purpose for our lives. And it involves obedience to his commands (New Covenant). For it is the will of God that we should die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness, no longer as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. And it is his will that we should now walk in holiness and in obedience to his commands.

So, when we trust in the Lord with our whole heart, and our heart is the core of our being, which is the fundamental truth of who we are in character and mind and behavior, then all of who we are and think and do is then surrendered to the Lord to do his will. Our lives are now committed to him. We are now his possession and he is now our Lord (Owner-Master). So he is now the one in charge of our lives and no longer ourselves. And so our will is now to obey the will of God and to do what he says.

And now we are not to lean on our own understanding. For we are to no longer be putting our trust in our own flesh and in our own reasoning and decision making processes. And we are not to be wise in our own eyes, thinking we know better than God. Now we are to be acknowledging the Lord in ALL our ways, so that he can direct our paths, and not us. And he will lead us in the ways of righteousness, godliness, holiness, integrity, honesty, moral purity, uprightness, faithfulness, and self-control.

But we must walk in the fear of the Lord, believing what he says, and applying those truths to our lives, in his power, by his Spirit. And we must turn away from sin (evil, wickedness) and now follow the Lord Jesus according to his ways and in obedience to his commands (New Covenant). And when we walk in the ways of the Lord, and not in the ways of the flesh, it will bring healing to our lives, and we will know the peace and joy of the Lord in our daily lives, plus we will be directed by his purpose for our lives.

Video Talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3UE_KESsJk

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My Sheep  

An Original Work / June 24, 2012  

Based off John 10:1-18 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full… 

They know my voice, so they follow me.

https://vimeo.com/114938263

I Am So Thankful!

Psalms 138:1-3,7-8 ESV

“I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;

    before the gods I sing your praise;

I bow down toward your holy temple

    and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,

    for you have exalted above all things

    your name and your word.

On the day I called, you answered me;

    my strength of soul you increased.”

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

    you preserve my life;

you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,

    and your right hand delivers me.

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;

    your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.

    Do not forsake the work of your hands.”

What do I have to be thankful for to God? Well, first and foremost I thank the Lord for rescuing me out of a life of sin and giving me a new life in him with purpose, joy, peace, and assurance of salvation and of eternal life in him. I thank him that he did not leave me dead in my sins, but that he lifted me up out of that slimy pit and he set me on a solid rock and he gave me a new song to sing of praise to my Lord for all that he has done for me.

I am thankful that, through the power of the Holy Spirit living within me, I am able now to live a holy life pleasing to God. This is not claiming sinless perfection, though (see 1 John 2:1-2). I am just so thankful that the Lord delivered me out of my slavery to sin so that I can now, by the Spirit, live as God wants me to live, free from the control of sin, and now free to please the Lord and to obey him in what he has called me to do.

I am thankful that he called me to his service and that he is using me in the way that he is using me for the salvation of human lives, for the encouragement of the body of Christ, and for my own spiritual growth and maturity in him. And I am thankful for likeminded followers of Christ with whom I am able to enjoy sweet fellowship in the Lord Jesus. Although we are in the minority, we encourage one another in the love of Christ.

I am thankful to the Lord for the good times, but even for the bad times, and for the hard lessons, and for persecutions and trials and tribulations. For through these he has strengthened me in my walk of faith in him, and I have grown closer to the Lord in sweet fellowship with him, and I have a greater sense of purpose for my life than I ever had before, especially in relation to these troubled times in which we all now live.

And I am thankful for my family, for my husband, for my children and children-in-law, for my grandchildren, for my sisters and brothers, two of whom are no longer with us, and for all of their family members, and for my cousins and any other relatives in my life. I am thankful for the good times and for the bad, for all of them and all our experiences together have blessed my life in one way or another, as I have hopefully blessed them.

And I thank the Lord for all his provisions in my life, for his unending mercy, for his counsel, for his direction in my life, for his strength and encouragement, and just for being there for me when I needed him most. I am so grateful for his love and his compassion and his friendship and companionship, without which I would be totally lost. And I thank him for his spiritual protection over my life and for never leaving me all alone.

Songs in the Night  

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

https://vimeo.com/379484387

Searching, Searching

Searching, searching everywhere

High and low, without a care

Wandering hither, to and fro

Looking for what? What to know?

Time is wasting, that do tell

Heads are swimming, pride doth swell

Nothing finished, not complete

Flesh is winning, not defeat

What’s the purpose? Do you know?

What, for your life, have to show?

Knowledge plenty, not in need

Need obedience, truth to feed

Trust in your Lord, let Him lead

Listen to His words, then heed

Follow where He leads each day

And His words to you obey

An Original Work / June 28, 2023

Judged According to Our Works

The Apostle Paul was writing to those in Rome “who are loved by God and called to be saints.” He had just written warnings to his readers concerning the wrath of God being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For, although what could be known about God was revealed to all through his created works, those who were living ungodly and wicked lives did not honor God, and so they ended up worshiping the created rather than the creator.

And then, in chapter two, he warned against hypocritical judging of those people described for us in Romans, chapter one, i.e. he warned against judging others for their sins if we are engaged in the same or similar sinful practices which they are. So, he said, 

“Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.” (Romans 2:3-5 ESV)

And then he wrote:

Romans 2:6-8 ESV

“He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.”

Now, many people are quoting Paul’s words in Ephesians 2:8-9 out of context, and they are presuming upon Paul that he was against us doing any kind of works, or that he taught against the necessity of any kind of works with regard to our salvation and eternal life with God. But Ephesians 2:10 and Titus 2:14 dispel that notion right away, let alone the remainder of Paul’s writings in the New Testament, as he was led by the Holy Spirit.

For Paul definitely taught that what we do in heart response to what Jesus did for us in dying on that cross for our sins is what determines whether or not we are of true faith, and whether we will spend eternity in heaven or in hell. For God is going to render to each one according to his works. For faith in Jesus Christ is authored and perfected by Jesus Christ, and it is gifted to us by God, and it is not of our own doing, and we can only come to faith in Christ if God the Father first persuades us to give our lives to him.

[Eph 2:8-10; Heb 12:1-2; Jn 6:44; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Acts 5:32; Tit 2:11-14; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Eph 4:17-32; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Lu 9:23-26; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Co 6:19-20; 2 Co 5:15,21; Matt 7:21-23]

Now, the good works which God requires of us are those which he prepared in advance that we should walk in them, as his workmanship (Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:14), so this is not speaking of our own fleshly works nor of our own fleshly attempts to be good enough to be acceptable to God. This is about us walking in obedience to our Lord and to his commands (New Covenant) in doing what he has called us to do and in being who he has called us to be. If that is what we do, he will give us eternal life in him.

But, if we are self-seeking and disobedient to the truth of God’s word under the New Covenant, and so we obey unrighteousness, instead of obeying God, then there will be wrath and fury awaiting us, not eternal life with God. For this is what Jesus taught, and it is what Paul taught throughout his teachings, and Peter and John taught likewise. We can’t just profess faith in Jesus Christ and now we are good to go to heaven. We have to walk in obedience to our Lord and not in sin to have eternal life in him.

So, please take this to heart. Know what the Scriptures teach on this subject, for many people these days are teaching lies. For they are teaching that we can profess faith in Jesus Christ and now all our sins are forgiven and heaven is guaranteed us when we die, and nothing can take that away from us, regardless of how we live our lives from that moment forward. But “regardless of how we live” is not part of the gospel equation.

The truth of the gospel is that, as those of genuine faith in Christ, we must die with Christ to sin and live to him and to his righteousness. Sin must no longer be what we practice, but now righteousness and obedience to our Lord are to be what we practice. It doesn’t mean we will live perfect lives (see 1 John 2:1-2), but it does mean we are to live holy and godly lives in submission to Christ as Lord and sin is to no longer be what we practice. For, if sin is what we practice, we will not inherit eternal life with God.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

No Less  

An Original Work / March 19, 2012

I can do no less than praise You,

Lord, for all You’ve done for me.

You died for my sins to save me,

So I would be set free.

I adore You! Lord, I praise You!

Jesus, Savior, King of kings!

You provided my redemption.

Your grace has pardoned me.

I can do no less than serve You. 

Lord, Your witness I would be,

Telling others of Your love,

And why You died on that tree.

Tell of how You gave of Your life,

So from sin we’d be set free,

So we could worship You forever,

And live eternally.

I can do no less than love You,

Lord, for You have first loved me.

You gave of Your life so willing,

Because You cared for me.

Turn from my sin! Obey freely!

Live for You each passing day.

Read Your word, and follow Your lead,

Lord, as I humbly pray. 

https://vimeo.com/125493623

The Fear of the Lord

Psalms 103:17-18 ESV

“But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,

    and his righteousness to children's children,

to those who keep his covenant

    and remember to do his commandments.”

Psalms 103:17-18 NLT

“But the love of the Lord remains forever

    with those who fear him.

His salvation extends to the children’s children

    of those who are faithful to his covenant,

    of those who obey his commandments!”

A lot of people might consider this Old Testament or Old Covenant, and they may feel as though this does not apply to Christians today. But the New Testament teaches the same thing. We are instructed to fear God, to reverence him, and to not be those who have no fear of God before their eyes. For we are to walk in the fear of the Lord. And his mercy is for those who fear him. 

And anyone who fears the Lord and does what is right is acceptable to him. And we should be those who know what it is to fear the Lord. And we are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in us, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. And a time is coming when God will reward his servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear his name. 

[Matt 10:28; Luke 1:50; Acts 9:31; Acts 10:34-35; Rom 3:10-18; Rom 12:1-2; 2 Co 5:6-11; 2 Co 7:1; Php 2:12-13; Heb 5:7; Heb 12:28-29; Rev 11:18; Rev 14:7; Rev 15:4] 

So, you can see that this is not just Old Testament teaching, but it is New Testament teaching, too. And to fear God is to believe him and to believe his word, and then it is to do what he says to do, to act upon what we say we believe, and not to just mouth empty words of faith in him which are not followed up with walks of obedience, living holy lives pleasing to God. For we are to cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1).

And the New Testament also teaches the importance of love for God and for obedience to his commands. For Jesus said that if want to come after him that we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him. And Jesus said that if anyone keeps (obeys) his word, he will never see death. And he said that if we love him that we will keep (obey) his commandments (New Covenant). And he said that his sheep hear (or listen) to his voice, he knows them, and they follow (obey) him.

And then the apostles taught that God/Jesus is going to render to each one according to his works, and for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. And we know that we have come to know Christ if we keep (obey) his commandments. For whoever says that he knows him but does not keep (obey) his commandments is a liar. But whoever keeps God’s word, in him truly the love of God is perfected, etc.

[Luke 9:23-26; John 8:51; John 14:15-24; John 15:10; John 10:27-30; Matthew 7:21-23; Romans 2:6-8; 1 John 2:3-6,15-17; 1 John 3:4-10,24; 1 John 5:2-3; 2 John 1:6; Romans 6:16; Hebrews 5:9; 1 Peter 1:1-2; James 1:21-25; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13]

So, we must understand here that the fear of the Lord and the necessity of obedience to our Lord are still taught to us in the New Testament. And God’s unfailing love is toward those who fear him, who walk in the fear of the Lord, and who honor, respect, and submit to him and to his will for our lives. He forgives the sins of those who fear him, who obey him, and who do what he says, and who do not ignore nor spurn his commands. But if we walk in sin, and not in obedience to him, we don’t have eternal life in him.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; 1 Pet 1:17-21; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyX4HGCf79Q

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I Pray for Them 

 

An Original Work / June 4, 2013

Based off John 17

“Glorify Your Son, that Your Son

May glorify our God in heav’n. 

Father, You granted Him all power

And all authority over men,

That He might give eternal life

To all those whom now

You have given Him.”

“This now then is eternal life:

That they may know You, 

Father, and Your Son;

That they may know the only true God,

And Jesus Christ whom the Father sent.

I have brought You the glory by

Finishing the work that You’ve given Me.”

“I have shown You to those whom

You gave to Me out of the world; 

They were Yours. You gave them to Me 

And they have obeyed Your words

And they accepted them. They knew

That I came from You, and they believed 

With certainty, I was sent.”

“Holy Father, I pray for them by the

Power of Your name: Protect them,

So that they may be one as we are,

For they are still living in this world.

I have given them Your word;

Because of Your word, the world

Has hated them.”

“I pray they may have the full measure of

My joy now living within them.

Father, I pray You sanctify them

By Your word; truly Your word is truth.

As You sent Me into the world, 

I send them to tell the world to repent.”

https://vimeo.com/116141024

Not Wanting Anyone to Perish

2 Peter 3:9 NIV

 

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

 

In context, this is speaking of the prophecies of Scripture regarding these last days and the return of Christ. And it is speaking of scoffers who are following their own evil desires who mock the fact that Jesus has not yet returned. And so the promise being spoken of here is the promise of our Lord’s return for his bride when he will also destroy the present heavens and earth with fire, and in judgment he will also destroy the ungodly.

 

Now, we have talked about this before, but the ungodly are not just all who make no profession of faith in Jesus Christ. The ungodly are all who are living ungodly lives in sexual immorality, idolatry, lying, cheating, stealing, committing adultery, and being unfaithful, etc. For our faith in Jesus Christ is not all talk, but it must be followed up with action. We must live what we profess, in practice, and we must not walk in sin.

 

So, we have the promise and the hope that one day Jesus is going to return for his bride and he is going to take us to be with him for eternity. But who are “we”? Who has this promise? It is not everyone who merely mouths a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. It is those who have been crucified with Christ in death to sin, who have been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, who are walking according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh, in practice (see Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14).

 

For many people professing Christ go through the motions of religious practice, but they are still walking by the flesh. The Pharisees did that. They were big on outward displays of righteousness while their hearts were full of wickedness. Yet a person of God is a person whose life is surrendered to Jesus Christ who is walking in holiness and righteousness and not in sin and who loves his/her family and the family of God, and who sets the example before them of godly living and integrity and holy living, on a daily basis.

 

So, for those of us who are walking according to the Spirit, and not according to the flesh, in practice, we have this hope of eternal life with God. But for those who are still living in sin and for self, and not for God, they don’t have that promise. They have the promise of being destroyed in judgment by God. And so God/Jesus, in his mercy, has delayed his coming so that more people will have the opportunity to repent of their sins and to follow our Lord in obedience to his commands (New Covenant).

 

And to repent is to have a change of mind resulting in a change of attitude, speech, and behaviors. It is like you were traveling west, but then you make a U-turn, and now you are traveling east, in the opposite direction. It involves us making room in our hearts and lives for Jesus to be truly Lord (Owner-Master) of our lives and for us to forsake our lives of sin and to now follow him in obedience and in holy living. This is the kind of repentance that the Scriptures teach with regard to our salvation from sin.

 

And then notice how “repentance” is used in this verse. Our Lord is patient with us, not wanting (or wishing, or willing, or desiring) for anyone to perish but for all to come to repentance. So, obviously repentance is critical to us having eternal life with God and to us not perishing in our sins. Yet so many preachers and teachers today are not teaching biblical repentance or they are teaching that we don’t have to repent of our sins and we don’t have to obey our Lord, for they call that “works salvation.”

 

But then they have to be ignoring the bulk of the teachings in the New Testament on the subject of “works,” especially Ephesians 2:10, which follows right after Ephesians 2:8-9, and which says,

 

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” ESV

 

And Titus 2:14 ESV, speaking of Jesus: “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

 

Anyway, Jesus made clear to us the message of his gospel when he said,

 

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” Luke 9:23-25 ESV

 

And Paul and the other apostles made the message clear, as well, that we must not hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self or we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we lose our lives, i.e. if we die with Christ to sin and we live to him and to his righteousness, in obedience to our Lord, then we have eternal life in him. For if sin is what we practice, it will end in death, not life. But if obedience to our Lord is our practice, we have life in Him.

 

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

 

My Sheep  

 

An Original Work / June 24, 2012  

Based off John 10:1-18 NIV

 

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

 

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

 

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full…

 

They know my voice, so they follow me.

 

https://vimeo.com/114938263

Will God Meet You Where You Are?

For some time now, and from different sources, I have been hearing the saying, “God will meet you where you are.” But is that biblical? I don’t believe it is. Now, did Jesus come to the earth to us? Yes, he did. But did he meet us where we are, or did he require that we meet him where he is? 

“And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me’” (Luke 9:23).

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:37-38).

“Jesus answered him, ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him’” (John 14:23).

I just see so much of this flip-flopping of biblical truth and much altering of God’s divine character and will going on today, even within the gatherings of the church, and coming from the mouths of pastors and preachers. And so much of what I read and hear regarding the gospel seems so “me” focused rather than God focused. So much of it seems to be centered in what God can do and will do for us, but not much about what he requires of us for us to receive his promises and his gift of grace and salvation and eternal life.

Romans 1:18-23 ESV

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.”

So, what is this teaching us? For these words were written to the saints of God, the church. And Paul said these words right after he said, “The righteous shall live by faith.” And “live by” means this is how we live our lives. This is what we practice. And this faith comes from God, and is gifted to us by God, and it is not of our own doing, and it is persuaded by God. So this faith submits to Christ as Lord and it surrenders to the will of God and it involves us dying with Christ to sin and living to his righteousness in walks of obedience to the Lord and to his commands (New Covenant).

[Eph 2:8-10; Heb 12:1-2; Jn 6:44; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Acts 5:32; Tit 2:11-14; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Eph 4:17-32; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Lu 9:23-26; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Co 6:19-20; 2 Co 5:15,21; Matt 7:21-23]

For it is not enough to just profess faith in Jesus Christ. We must walk no longer according to the flesh but now according to the Spirit. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. And this includes many people who profess faith in Jesus Christ, for this isn’t about what we profess with our lips. This is about how we live, in practice, and in conduct. So, if we are still walking in sin, we are suppressing the truth.

For, God has made himself known to all humankind via his created works. So, if we choose to continue living in deliberate and habitual sin, we are without excuse. For it isn’t as though we are not aware of God or that we don’t know right from wrong. Especially those of us who were brought up attending gatherings of the church have been taught right from wrong. But obviously this is instilled in all of us humans, and so we have a choice to choose God or to choose self and to continue living in sin.

Romans 1:24-25 ESV

“Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”

So, this is regardless of what you profess with your lips, for what you claim and what you do can be two different things. So, even if you profess Jesus as your Lord and Savior but you continue living in deliberate and habitual sin, without regard for God or for his commands, if you snub God, and you choose your sins, instead, then he will let you go. He is not going to force his will upon you. He will let you follow after the lusts of the flesh, if that is what you choose, but you will not have eternal life with him. And this is because you exchanged the truth about God for a lie and did not serve God, but self.

So, please take this to heart. For God does not lower himself to our standards. He doesn’t join us where we are. He requires that we come to where he is. The Christian life is not all about what God does for us, but it is about what he requires of us in the way of submission and obedience and walks of faith and in holy living. For all of his promises have conditions which must be met for us to be able to claim those promises.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg 

Caution: This link may contain ads

Grow in the Grace

Summary 2 Peter 3:1-16

 

This is talking about the prophecies of Scripture regarding these last days before the return of Christ and of his coming again one day. One day this world as we now know it is going to be totally destroyed by fire, including the ungodly of this world (including many who profess faith in Christ, but not in truth). But this has not yet happened because our Lord is patient toward all people, not wishing (or willing) that any should perish, but that all should reach (or come to) repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

 

And then it speaks of how the day of the Lord will come like a thief and all these things are going to be destroyed (dissolved by fire). Thus we need to be people of God who are living holy lives, pleasing to God, while we wait for our Lord’s return (see Titus 2:11-14). But we who trust in Jesus Christ to be Lord (Owner-Master) and Savior of our lives are waiting and are looking forward to the new heaven and the new earth in which righteousness dwells. For that is going to be wonderful to live where sin no longer dwells.

 

2 Peter 3:17-18 ESV

 

“You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

 

So, why do we have so many warnings in the New Testament to the church, to professers of faith in Jesus Christ, with regard to how we live our lives, especially in relationship to our Lord’s return and to judgment? It is because we are all going to be judged by God one day according to our works, so our works matter with regard to where we end up for eternity. For we can make all the professions of faith in Jesus Christ that we want and still end up in hell if we do not surrender our lives to him and follow him in his ways.

 

It is what the Scriptures teach.

 

Judged by God according to our works: [Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; 1 Pet 1:17-21; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

 

So, we need to be people of God who take these warnings and these exhortations seriously. For we can’t just verbalize a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and then expect that all our sins are forgiven and now heaven is guaranteed us when we die, but regardless of how we live. How we live matters for eternity. For if sin is what we practice, and if righteousness, godliness, holiness, and obedience to our Lord are not what we practice, according to the Scriptures, we will not inherit eternal life with God.

 

And then we need to be growing in the grace of our Lord in our walks of faith in Jesus Christ. For God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, instructs (teaches, trains) us to renounce (say “No!” to) ungodliness and worldly and fleshly passions and desires, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return. For Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (see Titus 2:11-14).

 

Video Talk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3VAZOCDJ44

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Songs in the Night  

 

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

 

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

 

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

 

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

 

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

 

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

 

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

 

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

 

https://vimeo.com/379484387

According to What We Have Done

Matthew 16:24-27 ESV

 

“Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.’” (cf. Mark 8:34-38; Luke 9:23-26)

 

If you want to share the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ with anyone, this is the gospel message you should be sharing. For this is the gospel message that Jesus Christ taught and that Paul, John, and Peter taught. In Luke’s recollection of Jesus’ words, we are told to take up our cross “daily” or “every day,” but I believe “daily” is to be understood by the context, anyway. For following Jesus Christ in obedience is not something we do once, but daily. And dying to sin is something we do daily, as well.

 

“So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:12-14 ESV).

 

In some more literal translations it says, “putting to death,” meaning that this is a regular ongoing practice of dying to sin daily. But I also believe that “daily” is understood here by the context, for it is talking about how we live, which is what we do daily, in practice. For we are also led by the Spirit, not just once, but daily. And this also is part of the gospel message that if we are living according to the flesh, and not according to the Spirit (in sin and not in obedience to Christ) that we will die in our sins, not have eternal life.

 

And this is borne out in Jesus’ words as we keep reading. So, in truth, we have to deny self every day, and every day we must be putting sin to death, by the Spirit, and this doesn’t mean giving in to it first, but it means not giving in to the sin but putting it to death every time the temptation arises. And then we must follow Jesus in obedience to his commands under the New Covenant. And in the New Testament we have many commands given to us that we are to be living by, putting off this, and putting on that daily.

 

See: [Matt 5:27-30; Matt 7:21-23; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10; Gal 5:16-24; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 3:5-11; 1 Thes 4:1-8; 1 Tim 4:7; Titus 2:11-14; Heb 12:1-17; 1 Pet 1:14; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

 

And then Matthew continues on and explains to us even further the meaning of this denying of self and dying daily to sin and following Jesus in obedience. If we try to save our own lives, i.e. if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we are going to lose our lives for eternity. But if we lose our lives for Jesus’ sake, i.e. if we die daily to sin and to self and we follow him in obedience, then we will find our lives, and we will have eternal life in Him.

 

But if we continue living for self and for the sinful pleasures of this world, and if we live to please self and other humans, and not live to please God, and if the world is what we want more than we want God, we will be forfeiting our own souls. For we can’t live worldly lives and godly lives at the same time. We will love one and hate the other. And if the world is what we love, and not God, we don’t have the love of the Father within us. For to love God is to submit to him as Lord, and it is to walk in obedience to him.

 

And all of what this teaches here is part of the gospel message which we must be giving out to the people. For so many people have made professions of faith in Jesus Christ who are still living for self and in sin, but they are convinced they are saved from their sins and that heaven is guaranteed them when they die. So we need to be those who are telling them the truth so that they will turn from their sins and obey the Lord Jesus. For if they don’t, they need to know that when Jesus returns, he is going to repay us all according to what we have done in this life.

 

See: [Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; 1 Pet 1:17-21; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

 

Songs in the Night  

 

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

 

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

 

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

 

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

 

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

 

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

 

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

 

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

 

https://vimeo.com/379484387