Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home1/heartof6/public_html/blog/wp-content/themes/responsive-mobile/includes/functions-extentions.php on line 35
Home › Posts tagged Salvation

Salvation

The Last Hour

Posted on by

A few days ago when I was with my 3 grandchildren, I shared with them the story from Matthew 20 about the laborers in the vineyard.  I told them the story in slightly different words.  I said what if you went out to work on the farm and at 8am one of you started your job, later in the day around noon one of the others came and started to work, and finally at 4pm the last one showed up to work.  After 5pm, the farmer came out to pay all of you and you all received the same pay.  My oldest said that’s not fair and I would be mad if I was the one that started working first.  I said it doesn’t seem fair to us but it is “mercy” exemplified in the greatest way.  When I then explained, what if we are talking about being saved?   She said, “Oh that is different.”

It is a hard concept for us as humans to wrap our minds around.  Our thought process is about self.  But every time I read this scripture my heart is so overwhelmed that we serve a God that has such great mercy.  I’m so very thankful that God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts above our thoughts.  I have had family members that spent 75 years of their life ignoring God and his plan of salvation and then at the last hour they realized they needed a Savior.  Did God say “No I’m sorry it is too late, you should have come earlier when you had years to serve me”?  No, He did not.  In fact, it was quite the opposite: He just said welcome home, my Child.

Salvation is a gift of God.  We could never do enough to earn it.  This scripture has given me much hope over the years, to know that as long as the person is alive, they can still ask God to save them.  It does not matter if you have made wrong choices all your life and you have suffered the results of those and you are at the bottom of the barrel, God will still say “Yes!” if you will just offer yourself to him.  I know people do not easily forgive or forget but God loves with an everlasting love and is benevolent in all His ways.  I love the mercy and grace of God and that He overshadows me with these.  No wonder, He said the last shall be first.

Matthew 20:1-16 

1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

A Brand New Start

Posted on by

One of the toughest we will ever face as human beings is not the fear of failing but the fear of repeating failure.

As we set out to make a new start we struggle to let go of the past (past failures, past attempts, the unkind or harmful words spoken by others, past defeats, past disappointments). The past can be your biggest enemy in the moment hindering you from your future.

1) We must forget the former things – Isaiah 43:18-19

18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

2) A fresh start is God’s gift to us – 1 John 1:9

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

3) There is nothing that can hold us from our future – Revelation 21:4

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

4) Let us come for a brand new start – Acts 3:19-20

19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:

 

We Are Barabbas, But Now We’re Free

Posted on by

Mark 15:6-15

6 Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.

7 And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.

8 And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them.

9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?

10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.

11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.

12 And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?

13 And they cried out again, Crucify him.

14 Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.

15 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

The convicted and condemned murderer, also notorious for sedition and robbery, sits dejectedly in his filthy cell, watched closely by Roman guards. He cannot help but ponder how excruciatingly painful his encounter with crucifixion will be. He has seen many of these hellish nightmares of Roman justice as he walked the roads of Judea and Galilee, conspiring with other rebels willing to resist—and even kill—the hated Roman occupiers. But this time, the Romans had caught their man and justly sentenced him to be executed on the stake.

The Romans were infamous for how they cruelly lined their roadways with crucifixes—their manner of warning would-be enemies of the State to mend their ways. This slow death was designed to torture the condemned for up to three agonizing days! Criminals punished in this way usually died of asphyxiation, no longer able to lift their chests one more time for another searing breath. The pain of crucifixion was so intense that it gave its name to extreme agony: excruciating, which derives from Latin words meaning “the pain one experiences while being crucified.”

This convicted murderer dreads the next few days. Sleep is impossible. He fidgets as his mind races, imagining the worst.

So what about Barabbas? Where does he come into this story? It is a moving reminder at Passover time each year that God leaves nothing to chance. Even the man who receives unmerited pardon is in the story for a reason: to remind us what we were and who we are now.

Many look at the name “Barabbas” and think it is just a name. Perhaps they realize that it is an Aramaic word. But what does it mean?Bar means “son of” and abba means “father,” with the connotation of closeness and intimacy similar to our “dad,” “daddy,” or “papa.” Therefore, Barabbas is “the son of the father” or “the son of his dear father.” That Passover day in AD 31, there was a guilty “son of the father”—Barabbas—and a totally innocent “Son of the Father”—Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

We are Barabbas. We have truly become “the sons of the Father” because of what Jesus did in our behalf. We have been released from the penalty of eternal death because our Savior and affianced Husband, Jesus the Christ, died in our stead.

All of this came about when the true Son of the Father took the place of Barabbas, who represents us all. As the despised Roman guards marched up to him, he was expecting the worse was about to begin. But instead, they broke off his heavy chains, dropping them to the stone floor with a clang that echoed through the corridors of the prison. Slowly, reality began to sink in: They were letting him go! Before long, Barabbas learned that the innocent Jesus of Nazareth, whom some considered a prophet, had given him a new lease on life—a fresh start, a new life. He was free! No crucifixion awaited this murderous, thieving rebel after all! He undoubtedly could not believe his “luck.”

Because of the gracious act of Jesus, the true Son of His dear Father, the iron shackles have been broken from us, and we walk about as truly free men and women. His sacrifice and resurrection make it possible for God to give us of His Spirit, to bring us into His household, the Family of God. We are regenerated to a new life, and made part of the very Family in which Jesus is the Firstborn. The Father invites us to be His Son’s Bride, whom Jesus is preparing for the Great Marriage Supper, giving of Himself totally for us, so that we can be totally free of sin as He is.

About Good Friday

Posted on by

Good Friday is the completion of Jesus Christ’s sin-cleansing and life-saving empathy that brings eternal life to all who put their confidence in him.

On Good Friday the Son of God who always loves everyone is betrayed by Judas, falsely accused and condemned by the religious leaders and Pilate, scourged almost to death, abandoned by his disciples, mocked by the crowds, and tortured to death on the cross. Far worse than these humiliations and sufferings, he who never sinned takes on the hideousness of humanity’s sin, choosing to receive the punishment that we deserve so that we could be healed (fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 53).

He died with our sins so that we do not have to die today in our own. Jesus empowered us with the strength to resist what would come in our future.

Romans 5:6-10

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Jesus paid the price that covered us all

Romans 5:18

18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

He healed the things that would have went without healing on earth

1 Peter 2:24

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Jesus suffered in His spirit so that the door could be opened for the spirit to have a worthy dwelling place

1 Peter 3:18

18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

He died so that we could become a people that could finally overcome our iniquity

Titus 2:14

14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

He died so that we would no longer be segregated by anything and could become one church

Romans 3:22-24

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

He died so that we could see an example of how what lengths we should go to when we help and love one another

1 John 3:16

16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Jesus died so that we could live in peace on Earth

Colossians 2:6

6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

Jesus Died so that your sins could be forgiven

Acts 3:19

19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

Jesus died so that you could be saved!

Romans 10:9-10

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Divine Judgement And Blessings

Posted on by

I have been forced to reconsider the relationship between divine judgment and divine blessing. I have always thought of them as opposites that have no relationship. I like to think of judgment as something that has little to do with me and much to do with my enemies. I like to think of God’s blessings and salvation as mine, unrelated to judgment. I have come to the conclusion that divine judgment and divine blessings are very closely inter-related.

In the first place, God’s judgment is the means whereby He delivers us from our enemies

(3:15, 19). 15 The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.  19 Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get [7] them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.

Second, divine judgment purifies the righteous remnant

(3:9).  9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, [3] that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent. 

Finally, God’s judgment is the means by which God brings about our blessings. When God removes the wicked, it is so He may come and dwell with us. In addition, when God removes the wicked, He gives their possessions to His faithful remnant

(2:5-7, 9-10).

5 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the Lord is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. 6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. 7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the Lord [1] their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.

9 Therefore as I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them. 10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts.

The judgment of the wicked is the means to our blessing.

These reasons for divine judgment can best be summarized in this way:

  • God will judge those in Judah who practice pure paganism (1:4).
  • those who mix the worship of God with the worship of other deities (1:5a).
  • those in Judah who completely reject and turn away from the faith of their fathers (1:6).
  • those who choose to identify with the heathen (rather than the people of God) by their dress (1:8)
  • those who practice violence and deceit (1:9)
  • those who presume that God is indifferent about their sin (1:12)
  • those who put their trust in anything but Him (1:18)
  • those who refuse divine instruction, and who have ignored His warnings (3:1-2). Judah should have learned from God’s judgment of others, but she did not (3:6-7)
  • those in leadership, who have abused their authority and forsaken their stewardship (3:3-4)

Zephaniah 3:8-13

Zephaniah also summarizes the hope of the righteous remnant:

Their sins are forgiven and they are cleansed from their sin (3:9, 11, 13).

They will be delivered from or through divine judgment (2:1-3)

They will eventually be rescued from the hand of their oppressors (2:4-15; 3:15).

They have the hope of future blessings (2:6-9).

They will be given fame and honor (3:19-20).

They will enjoy security and peace (3:13).

They will enjoy being in God’s presence, as He rejoices over them as the objects of His love(3:15-17).

Zephaniah 3:14-20

After the promises of taking away sin, follow promises of taking away trouble. When the cause is removed, the effect will cease. What makes a people holy, will make them happy. The precious promises made to the purified people, were to have full accomplishment in the gospel.  They show the abundant peace, comfort, and prosperity of the church, in the happy times yet to come. He will save; he will be Jesus; he will answer the name, for he will save his people from their sins. 

The Top 10 Reasons I Can Be Thankful To God

Posted on by

1) I am thankful to God for His love. Without His love I would wonder afraid of tomorrow. His love helps me to not fear and to be confident in whom I call my Heavenly father. Had God not loved me first I would not know how to show the love of God toward others.

1 John 4:19
19 We love him, because he first loved us

2) I am thankful to God for His mercy. He was merciful to me and did not punish me when I did not understand His will. He has been merciful to me and shown patience towards me when I had understanding and did not submit as I should have. And as I learn and improve He shows mercy to me and gives me another crack at being successful and what I go forth to do.

Titus 3:4-5
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

3) I am thankful to God for His grace. Without God’s grace we would not be saved through faith. In fact we do not deserve it but He gave it anyway. When God has had, or has, or could have every right and reason to withhold on us He has not. Rather through each moment where we could totally perish grace provides us the only right that justifies us to even get to walk by faith at all.

Ephesians 2:8
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

4) I am thankful to God for His compassion for others in need. Without compassion none of us would be saved. Without compassion the hungry would starve. Without compassion the poor would perish. Without compassion the lost and broken would lose their souls and burn forever. But since the dawn of creation God has given us compassion that without it we would have perished in our own lack.

Zechariah 7:10
10 And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

Galatians 6:2
2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

5) I am thankful for the promise that God never leaves. When all others would forsake us for it being inconvenient or by other reasons we should all be reminded that every second of our lives is in the attention of God. He was with me before I knew Him and is with me as He is in me. And one day I will never leave His presence when He calls me from earth to Heaven.

Deuteronomy 31:6
6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

6) I am thankful for God’s blessings. The things that happen that help us in the times we never expected, the things that happen suddenly or in the nick of time. The literal, spiritual and physical blessings that could only come from God remind me no matter what season that He is there!

Philippians 4:19
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

7) I am thankful for God’s protection. When things could have been worse and they were not God was there. When things didn’t even happen that never crossed my mind to comprehend He was there. When the angels of Heaven destroy the minions of Satan through my advocate of Christ I am not without a covering.

Psalm 138:7
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

8) I am thankful for the Holy Spirit. The spirit lets me know what true joy feels like. The spirit teaches me in things I am unlearned in or wrong about. The spirit keeps churches in perfect order, ministries refreshed and the works of the body of Christ with conviction. Without it we would be so far away from the will of God.

1 John 2:27
27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

9) I am thankful for my future in Heaven. It is the resting place of the righteous and a place where neither Satan nor his power can come. The curse of man will be left behind. The pains of life, confusion of all things why, mourning will cease, sorrow will be no more. Worship and joy forevermore.

Revelation 21:4
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

10) I am thankful for salvation through Jesus Christ. It has made my old sins to pass away and my forgiven life to become new. It has taught me to not live as I was and by what I know was God. It gives me hope for today and longing for a greater tomorrow. It provides the peace that surpasses all understanding.

John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life

Have You Been Made Whole

Posted on by
Click To Play     

I would like to share with you a recent thought that the Lord brought by on what it means to be made whole.  First of all, I would like to define the word “whole”.  Some definitions from the dictionary are:  free of wound or injury (unhurt), recovered from a wound or injury (restored), free of defect or impairment, having all of its proper parts (complete).  A synonym for whole is “perfect”.  If I could physically demonstrate to you something that is not whole, I would present to you a vase that has been shattered into many pieces or perhaps a puzzle that is missing one piece.  Both of these examples have no value or use because they are broken or incomplete.   People are just like this.  All of us are incomplete and some of us are like the vase.  Our lives have been torn into many pieces by sickness, death, trauma, depression, violence, addictions, or some other great trouble.  But there is a remedy, a balm in Gilead that can be found.  His name is Jesus.  Every human person is incomplete without Jesus in their life.  No matter if everything in life has been good for you; there is still an empty void in your life.  The reason is that you were created to fellowship with God but when sin entered into the heart of man, he was separated from God.  The only way man can be reconciled back to God is through God’s Son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus paid the sin debt for mankind on the cross of Calvary.  He made a way that man can be restored or made “whole”.   I have heard so many testimonies over the years from Christians that talk of how different their lives were after they accepted Jesus Christ.  I have heard some say that the sun shone brighter, the grass was greener, and their heart was full of love instead of hatred.  Some just said they felt a deep settled peace enter their heart.  Here are some scriptures that demonstrate the miracle of being made whole by Jesus:

Matthew 9:22

“But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.  And the woman was made whole from that hour.”

Matthew 14:36

“And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment; and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.”

Luke 8:48

“And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort:  thy faith hath made thee whole;  go in peace.”

Please notice some important truths about being made whole.  When God saves your soul, you are made whole that very instant, that very hour.   God’s salvation is a gift.  You don’t have to do something more or different.  God’s salvation is given to you freely and fully the moment you accept Jesus as your Savior.  There is spiritually growth that can be had after you are saved but you are made “whole” the moment that God saves your soul.

When God saves your soul, the salvation he gives you is “perfect”.  It is not of man’s righteousness that you are saved but of the righteousness of Jesus.  This is why salvation is eternal.  It is not dependent on man and his goodness or his works but it is provided by the supreme sacrifice that Jesus made on Calvary.  What God does, he does well.  The scripture didn’t say that these people were just partially made whole and that it would only be good for so many days or months.  It said they were made perfectly whole.

The next scripture I want to read is John 5:6:  “When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?”

This is the question I want to ask you today?  Have you been made whole?  If not, do you want to be made whole?  Like the crippled man in this scripture, have you been on life’s journey a long time but your life is empty and void?  Then now is the time for you to call on Jesus and ask him to make your life whole.   And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked.