He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
This is the word of the Lord and it is blessed!
Posted by: Evelyn Diane
Mark 11:24 (NIV): Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
One thing I love about Jesus, his line is never busy and you can always call on him. I feel like praising him… Listen up to this wonderful praise song and be blessed!
I was reading a piece on yesterday on bitterness from a website called Bible Truth, and he starts out talking about bitterness, and further in the lesson they encloses the model prayer Jesus prayed in Matthew 6:12 which said: “we ask for forgiveness as we are forgiving others, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” The word debt means what is owed to us or in this verse someone who has offended or sinned against us.”
“Jesus in Matthew 6:14-15 shows us the seriousness of the matter: “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
“In Matthew 18:22 Jesus gave us the standard saying that we were to forgive seventy times seventy the person who hurts us.”
A BITTER PERSON IS USUALLY ONE WHO HAVE BEEN HURT.
Usually there are three ways we are hurt.
1. By what is DONE to us.
2. By what is SAID about us.
3. By what is TAKEN from us!
Life hurts right about now, but I’ve “NEVER” been a cry baby or one to throw myself a pity party, but some things to me just don’t make sense, and it don’t surprise me, because a lot of things “Jesus” went around doing in the bible days did not make sense either to man; but, there were always logical reason and a purpose why Jesus did things the way he did them; and, he did them “not” like man would because he knew man would do his best to take the credit, and steal all of the glory out of a moment to show the world who he really was and is, and he yet lives on today!
I tell you, I have a testimony now, even greater than I had previously when God gave me back my extremities to walk after encountering a rare muscle disease called Transverse Myelitis, that man yet to this day since 1990 have figured out. I am a 1 in a million people who survived that disease since 1990, and I yet live and have a supernatural ability to yet be able to bear a child. (That’s another whole story)..
Nevertheless, today not only did I raise the two grown children I have successfully as a single mother, God gave me another unusual shot, at my request to raise a special needs child successfully and yet live to the world what looked like a pretty good life. What looks like a normal life to the naked eye, but it really is not what is seem. Normal to me is this life I’ve lived on pain meds, steroids, from time time, Neurontin consistently which is neurological drug, and so many more that I depend on daily to survive. Yes, I’ve gotten written off as crazy, psychophrenic, bipolar, and every other cruel mental name people could find to call me.
Nevertheless, I’ve been going to physical of physical therapy twice a week for over 20 years, and this current Physical Therapy Physician in Costa Mesa, by the name of Dr. Lee , at Southland Physical therapy has worked on me diligently for the past 9-years, give or take. He encourages me in every way he knows how like I am worth a million bucks to him as a valued patient. I so appreciate him right about now for believing in me. I hold on to dear life this morning because of God first, my youngest son Justin, and then him. Dr. Lee told me a day before my surgery, last week before he personally realigned my body with me being off of pain medication, which was so painful, but he made sure every bone was where it was supposed to be, and he looked at me before I left the office and said in front of witnesses of men: “I will say a prayer for you at 7:30 a.m. when I know you will be going under anesthesia for your surgery”. I want you to know, that If you only have one person to believe in you, that is more enough, because God all by himself is worth every pain, every hurt I’ve been through this past year.
It’s 2014 now, and my Daddy who was a Pastor and Gospel Minister for over 40 years passed away on December 22, 2014 from a long bout with bladder cancer, and he is not here to pray for me physically like he always have for the past 38 years since I was a 10-year-old little girl. That’s why I am so confused after God really fixed that situation, so I could genuinely learn to love my Father after accidentally bumping into him coming out of a cleaners picking up his work clothes from the City of Long Beach, where he worked for over 40 years. Low and behold, while I sit in my mother’s car, waiting on my mother to come out of the shoe store while she so diligently were looking for me those Mary Jane shoes that I wanted so bad. I want you all to know that didn’t get those “Mary Jane” shoes right then at that particular store because they did not have my size , but I got to reunite my Father at 10-years-old, laying my eyes on him for the first time, knowing that, that was him walking out the cleaners, as my mom walked out of that shoe store. As my mother stood and conversed with this man before she brought him over to the car, I knew in my little heart that he was my Father. The day unexpectedly had finally come. I will elaborate on that in my biography “Let my baby live” that I will finish soon. See, every time I’ve tried to publish this book for the past 20 years, the story just keeps on getting better and better.
I yet struggle daily, me and my child alone, but Only God knows and take real good care of us. I care for my disabled child for 11-years by myself, and he has only laid his eyes on his Dad one week in 2011, of his entire life when his Grandmother that loved us dearly passed away.. You can’t tell me nothing about my God!!!
I know in my heart that only “God” can pull me through the horrible time that me and my 11-year-old disabled son have encountered this past week, let alone to add what transpired at that hospital with my Father in November 2013. The whole year of caring for him was devastating as a daughter..
If I did not LOVE “JESUS” the way I do, I would be saying right now that there is no God, and there is no “LOVE ” in this world. I will NEVER ever utter those words from my mouth like I’ve heard so many foolish people do when they think that God has forgotten about them. “NEVER”!!! Just the mere fact that I am a today’s 2014 miracle, and “YES”, I survived through such horrible pain last night, I will NEVER care what MAN thinks about me no matter what his status or statute is. He can be the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama that I respect highly, and I would not be moved the way this invisible “Jesus” have moved my heart, soul and mind since I met him for myself.
Now, I really and truly know why God saw fit to give me one more child, that I named “Justin”.. God knew that he would be the only one in this world that would never want to leave my side, no matter what, and I thank God for him even with his little feeble mind, that God is doing a great work on him, in him and through him… Now I know why I had to encounter the things I had to encounter, yet God still get’s gets the glory. It’s pays in the long run to be faithful to God, because there will come a time when he will put you to the the test, and either you will stand if you really know him the pardon of your sins, or you will burn in the fire, fold and give up. NOT ME!!! #grounded!!!
God I thank you! Even though life seems so hard… Now, it’s all coming together to me why you would give me two children off the richter scale, and one that I’ve really had to work so hard with, only to be told while I lay flat on my back in pain by one of my other children that I am NOT a good mother, That hurts!!! I want the world to know, like my Pastor says every Sunday.. “If it had not been for the Lord (God) on my side” watching over me and my child every step of the way, where would we both be on this morning at 2:18 a.m, May 8, 2014.. I would not be here today if I had to wait on some the people I’ve given my entire life too. God is getting full credit that I am redeeming this very hour right now! God has all POWER: to do whatever he desires in all of our lives and get the glory… Just one touch, and you can be healed if you have faith the size of a mustard seed as I’ve had these 48 years God has placed me on this earth.
Wow,it’s stuff like I’ve encountered my whole life, I know only my Jesus brought me through it! That is only half of my testimony… Can’t tell is all, but I just wanted to share this bit of history of my life with the world.
Bitterness will consume your whole life if you let it.. Not me!!!
Read: Ephesians 4:31 – Hebrew 12:14-15
Posted by: ~ Minister Evelyn Diane Thomas, my heartfelt personal testimony I needed to share with the world.
I am truly honored to be piced by HearandPlay.com to be the fan of the week!! This is an awesome music ministry that I have been personally involved with since 1983! They are a blessing to all mankind.. Blessing to you Rev. Jermaine A. Griggs!!!
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
Greetings, to all of our Subscribers, Family and Friend’s. We pray all is well in your lives, and we hope this blog post finds you prospering and in good health is my prayer!
As I awake on this morning, with a vital question on my mind… Will you be ready? Will you be ready when Jesus comes? It’s not a question we often ask ourselves on a daily basis; however, it is a great question that would lead you to get your house in order mentally and physically.
First step would be knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are saved. Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? It’s really simple, and I have enclosed the Romans road that will introduce you to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Responding to the Romans Road
Here’s how to take a personal journey down Romans Road:
Admit you are a sinner.
Understand that as a sinner, you deserve death.
Believe Jesus Christ died on the cross to save you from sin and death.
Repent by turning from your old life of sin to a new life in Christ.
Receive, through faith in Jesus Christ, his free gift of salvation.
Romans Road of Salvation
Everyone needs salvation because we have all sinned.Romans 3:10-12, and 23 As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” … For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. (NLT)
The price (or consequence) of sin is death.Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. (NLT)
Jesus Christ died for our sins. He paid the price for our death.Romans 5:8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (NLT)
We receive salvation and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.Romans 10:9-10, and 13 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved … For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (NLT)
Salvation through Jesus Christ brings us into a relationship of peace with God.Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. (NLT)Romans 8:1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. (NLT)
Romans 8:38-39 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NLT)
A Prayer for Salvation:
Dear Lord, I admit that I am a sinner. I have done many things that don’t please you. I have lived my life for myself. I am sorry and I repent. I ask you to forgive me. I believe that you died on the cross for me, to save me. You did what I could not do for myself. I come to you now and ask you to take control of my life, I give it to you. Help me to live every day in a way that pleases you. I love you, Lord, and I thank you that I will spend all eternity with you.
I pray something was said that touched your heart… Keep your lamps burning bright , and keep Jesus first in your life, so when Jesus comes, you will be ready! No matter what the world is doing, you be ready!!!!
Have you ever felt like you had no where to turn for encouragement? I want you to know that the Bible is one of the greatest sources we have available for encouragement. Please take the time to meditate over the enclosed scriptures… They will surely bless your life!
Comfort And Encouragement Bible Verses
Deuteronomy 31:8It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Psalm 9:9The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.
Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
Matthew 11:28-29 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Strength Quotes For Encouragement
Deuteronomy 31:6Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Isaiah 41:10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Peace Scripture Quotes For Encouragement
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Romans 8:6For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
Philippians 4:6-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV) “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Day 45 of Pecking orders are enclosed directly from Bishop T.D. Jakes…
Thank you Bishop T.D. Jake’s for your encouraging words on today, and this past 44 days… We are enlightened and we will be Pecking for years to come!!!
Being overwhelmed by your feelings as you start PECKING and acting upon God’s will for your life is normal. You will face emotions like fearing you will fail and have only yourself to blame. Maybe you’ll feel sad and ashamed of past mistakes. Don’t judge yourself. All of this is normal, and God is right there with you, promising to never leave you nor forsake you (Deut. 31:6). Don’t quit! Get out of your feelings and KEEP PECKING!
Hello To all of our WIFI Ministry Subscribers, Visitors, Family and Friend’s… Happy Tuesday to each of you! I pray that each of you reading this post, have a sensational week and remember that we must not quit if we want to gain access to our tomorrow.. So don’t give up!!! Of note, I have enclosed day number 37 of Pecking Orders directly from Bishop T.D. Jakes Ministries... Read them, apply them, and keep pecking!!!
Before you give up, affirm that the sky is the limit! You’ve been POSITIONED and EXPOSED. You’ve taken COURAGE and gathered KNOWLEDGE. You’ve set your goals high, knowing you could not achieve them on your own. Even if this is your second or umpteenth attempt, DON’T GIVE UP! You’re right on track. You were not created to play it safe. Take the risk and continue asking God, “Father, what’s next?”
Proverbs 19:21 (NIV) “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
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WIFI Ministries Scripture of the day….
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♥WIFI MINISTRIES: SONG OF THE DAY..♥
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♥Kevin Levar – A Heart That Forgives (Reprise) ♥
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“I want a heart that forgives, a♥ HEART♥ full of LOVE one with compassion just like your above. One that overcomes evil with goodness and LOVE like it never happened never holding a grudge. I want that forgives, that lives and lets live, one that keeps LOVING over and over again. One that men can defend because your word is within, want a LOVE like you Christ, like you Lord Jesus Christ.
I want a♥ HEART♥ that LOVES EVERYBODY even my enemies.
I want a ♥ HEART♥ that FORGIVES. I want a ♥ HEART♥ that FORGIVES when the ones that are closest, that I’ve known the longest, hurt me the most, I still wanna LOVE them just like you LOVE me, even though I’m hurting. I want a♥ HEART♥ that forgives when the pain is so deep, its so hard to speak about it to anyone, just like your son, I’ll give up my rights to hold it against you with hatred inside.
I want a♥ HEART♥ that FORGIVES. Lord I wanna let it go, Lord I need to let it go, Lord it’s been holding me back, and I don’t want it.. I don’t want it.. I don’t want it no more…
Lord, I don’t know exactly what to do to get rid of it, but here I am Lord Jesus, here I am oh Lord..
Here I am LordJesus. Ohh, oh I need you.. I need you.. I know this is me that you’re talking to. This is me… This is me.. This is me.. Lord this is me!
Every person.. Every person that’s ever HURT me, God I let it go.. Every single pain, God I let it go… Every single struggle, God I let it go… Lord you can have it….Lord you can have it… You can have it now… You can have it now.. I DON’T want it no more.” ~
The Lord’s Purpose Prevails in this passage of scripture:
Job 1:20-22 (NIV)
“At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” In all this, Job did not sin by charging
God with wrongdoing.” ` ~Job 1:20-22 (NIV)~
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Composed by: Minister Evelyn Diane Thomas D&T: 09/25/2012
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
Born Again Believers
John 3:3 ESV
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:5-7 ESV
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ESV
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. …
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Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
1 John 1:9 ESV / 21
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8 ESV / 19
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
John 3:16 ESV / 19
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Romans 6:23 ESV / 15
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2 Peter 3:9 ESV / 14
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
1 Peter 1:22-25 ESV / 12
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
John 3:1-36 ESV
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. …
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.
Psalm 91:1-16 ESV
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, …
Hebrews 4:15 ESV
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Romans 6:1-23 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. …
Romans 10:10 ESV
For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
John 4:24 ESV
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 1:1 ESV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Isaiah 7:14 ESV
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Proverbs 1:1-33 ESV
The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, …
John 1:19-34 ESV
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” …
John 1:14 ESV
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Luke 7:30 ESV
But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)
Luke 1:35 ESV
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.
Matthew 26:39 ESV
And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
Matthew 3:2-6 ESV
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
1 Peter 1:2-3 ESV
According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1 Corinthians 7:17 ESV
Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.
1 Corinthians 7:14 ESV
For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
Romans 10:1-9 ESV
Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. …
John 4:1 ESV
Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John
John 3:1 ESV
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
Mark 13:12 ESV
And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death.
Matthew 16:18-19 ESV
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Isaiah 2:1-4 ESV
The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.
Romans 3:23 ESV
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Mark 1:1-5 ESV The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
Matthew 3:13-17 ESV
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
1 John 5:11-12 And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.
This passage tells us that God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son, Jesus Christ. In other words, the way to possess eternal life is to possess God’s Son. The question is, how can a person have the Son of God?
Man’s Problem
Separation From God
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
According to Romans 5:8, God demonstrated His love for us through the death of His Son. Why did Christ have to die for us? Because Scripture declares all men to be sinful. To “sin” means to miss the mark. The Bible declares “all have sinned and fall short of the glory (the perfect holiness) of God” (Rom. 3:23). In other words, our sin separates us from God who is perfect holiness (righteousness and justice) and God must therefore judge sinful man.
Habakkuk 1:13a Thine eyes are too pure to approve evil, And Thou canst not look on wickedness with favor.
The Futility of Our Works
Scripture also teaches that no amount of human goodness, human works, human morality, or religious activity can gain acceptance with God or get anyone into heaven. The moral man, the religious man, and the immoral and non-religious are all in the same boat. They all fall short of God’s perfect righteousness. After discussing the immoral man, the moral man, and the religious man in Romans 1:18-3:8, the Apostle Paul declares that both Jews and Greeks are under sin, that “there is none righteous, not even one” (Rom. 3:9-10). Added to this are the declarations of the following verses of Scripture:
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast.
Titus 3:5-7 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Romans 4:1-5 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness,
No amount of human goodness is as good as God. God is perfect righteousness. Because of this, Habakkuk 1:13 tells us God cannot have fellowship with anyone who does not have perfect righteousness. In order to be accepted by God, we must be as good as God is. Before God, we all stand naked, helpless, and hopeless in ourselves. No amount of good living will get us to heaven or give us eternal life. What then is the solution?
God’s Solution
God is not only perfect holiness (whose holy character we can never attain to on our own or by our works of righteousness) but He is also perfect love and full of grace and mercy. Because of His love and grace, He has not left us without hope and a solution.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
This is the good news of the Bible, the message of the gospel. It’s the message of the gift of God’s own Son who became man (the God-man), lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sin, and was raised from the grave proving both the fact He is God’s Son and the value of His death for us as our substitute.
Romans 1:4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,
Romans 4:25 He who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.
2 Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;
How Do We Receive God’s Son?
Because of what Jesus Christ accomplished for us on the cross, the Bible states “He that has the Son has life.” We can receive the Son, Jesus Christ, as our Savior by personal faith, by trusting in the person of Christ and His death for our sins.
John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, {even} to those who believe in His name.
John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
This means we must each come to God the same way: (1) as a sinner who recognizes his sinfulness, (2) realizes no human works can result in salvation, and (3) relies totally on Christ alone by faith alone for our salvation.
If you would like to receive and trust Christ as your personal Savior, you may want to express your faith in Christ by a simple prayer acknowledging your sinfulness, accepting His forgiveness and putting your faith in Christ for your salvation.
If you have just trusted in Christ, you need to learn about your new life and how to walk with the Lord. May we suggest you start by studying through the ABCs for Christian Growth. This series will take you step-by-step through some basic truths of God’s Word and will help you build a solid foundation for your faith in Christ.
Posted by: Minister Evelyn Diane Thomas D&T: 09/24/2012
