Category: salvation

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Genesis 35-37 Reuben

Reuben was the first born but his life did not reflect that in many ways. He brought shame upon the life of Jacob by committing adultery with Jacob’s concubine. He tried to save Joseph but that too turned badly. Reuben’s name means behold the son but he was not a picture of righteousness.

Easton’s dictionary has this to say about Jacob’s first born: ‘behold a son!, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29:32). His sinful conduct, referred to in Gen. 35:22, brought down upon him his dying father’s malediction (48:4). He showed kindness to Joseph, and was the means of saving his life when his other brothers would have put him to death (37:21,22). It was he also who pledged his life and the life of his sons when Jacob was unwilling to let Benjamin go down into Egypt. After Jacob and his family went down into Egypt (46:8) no further mention is made of Reuben beyond what is recorded in ch. 49:3,4.” 

Many times we come across men in the Bible that cause us to shake our heads and as we read their life stories we wonder why God chose them and used them. But, God’s ways are not our ways.[Is 55:8-9] Reuben was saved because he did like all of us: admitting their wrong and seeking to live righteously. Where are you in this story? Are you a Reuben before or after his changed life? 

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12.1.24. Preparing for Advent

Revelation 1 Behold He is coming soon

Over and over Jesus prepared his disciples with wisdom and knowledge that they might tell the good news: Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. All of these precious disciples suffered and died but John alone has remained and it is he that has received this vision to share with us, the reader.

John begins by reminding us of this: to be blessed is to take this Word and share it with those who have not heard. John writes: Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near. Are we watching for His return knowing that with God a day on our calendar is like a thousand years in His sight. Are we just reading these words to fill our minds or are we reading it so we know the plan of God for us? 

As this book begins we are given a glimpse into our Lord in all of His majesty. What will you do with this vision? Will you meditate on the beauty and glory of our risen Savior? 

Challenge for December: read and choose one thought to meditate on for that day. Share that thought with someone so they might receive a blessing too because behold, He, our risen Savior is coming soon. 

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11.27.24.What do you need to believe?

John 20 Evidence 

Jesus has risen but only Mary has seen Him and touched Him and believed. Even her words are like that of a foolish woman. How like today when we witness to others, our words fall on fallow ground. Just like the parable of the seeds are the hearts of men. Some fall on fallow ground, others fall on rocky soil, and yet some fall on tilled soil and bear fruit. Which soil is your heart? 

Jesus offers His promise to those who believe. As the Father has sent Him, so now He sends us into all the world to speak the words of the gospel message.  What evidence do we need to believe? Thomas needed the physical evidence of the risen Christ, yet later Peter will remind his readers: even though you do not see Him you love Him. Is this where I am/where you are? What do you need to believe? The gospel of John reminds us of this truth: But these are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

When John wrote the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ he said: Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy aloud, and blessed are those who hear and obey the things written in it because the time is near! Are you blessed today? 

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11.22.24.Preparing for Eternity

Job was sure are you
How about you?

John 17 Our Destiny…

They say that when your time has come you know it or sense that soon you will depart from your earthly existence. It was so with my precious friend Rosie, as well as several others I have disciples or taught and with my mother. I have not yet experienced this but wonder if I will. But, the better question is what are my thoughts prior to that time. Jesus thoughts were to glorify the Father. Will that be mine as well? How about you? 

What does it mean to glorify the Father but to honor Him and to offer thoughts and praises to Him for our time here as well as seeking the Father’s honor and glory as we prepare to enter eternity. This brings us to another question: am I prepared to enter eternity? Have I and have you prepared our hearts to speak and give glory to the Father? 

One of the ways Jesus glorified the Father was to give eternal life to those He had been given. Will I have the gift of those I have brought to saving faith to the Father? 

So many questions and so many thoughts. What are your thoughts today about this topic? 

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11.19.24.Greater Works

John 14 How perplexing to read these words of our Savior: Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. Jesus was sent to do the work of our salvation but how can I as a mere human do a greater work than He? This is perplexing! 

While on earth,Jesus was held by the nature of his geography and his time limit. However, now with the presence and indwelling Holy Spirit we are not only able but given the privilege to move about over all the earth and present the gospel message that He brought. The day of Pentecost saw 3000 people who claimed salvation but now thousands are hearing and submitting to His Word. We Iive in the internet world with the advantage of seeing and hearing His Word preached and lived out. This is why Jesus said, you will do greater works and is our command to seek and save the lost everywhere. This is our mission statement to go into all the world and preach the gospel. 

Are we going? Are we preaching the gospel? Are we doing greater works? 

We have the good news
Go and Tell
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11.4.24. Teacher to Teacher

John 3 From one teacher to another

Nicodemus came to Jesus at night to speak to Him privately. We are never given the reasons for this but the world’s ideas swirl with questions and responses. It is not the time that matters but the discussion and the dialog. 

Nicodemus, a Pharisee, “the” teacher in Israel, a student of the Torah, a religious man outwardly, but inwardly just a man wandering in the desert searching for that living water to quench his spiritual thirst. We have all met them. They are wandering souls just like Nicodemus, thinking they have the ticket to heaven because of position or religious affiliation. I belong to this or that church, I tithe and I give to the poor or as people say today, I don’t drink, smoke or swear. My balance scale will say I have all I need to present myself before God. 

Jesus turns the tables and reminds Nicodemus that he is “the” teacher in Israel and still before God he is just a man. He needs the rebirth of his spirit and soul and he has missed that truth in all of his studies.  Come to Me and be born again from above for unless you are, you will never be able to see or enter the kingdom of God. 

Are you wandering looking for what will take you to heaven? Come to Jesus and be born again. 

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Does Anyone Care?

Each must choose

Romans 10 Paul loves his people and it is recorded as such. In fact he loves them so much that he is willing to forgo his salvation if it would mean they could be saved, but salvation is a one way street…just you and God. There are no backstreets and no grandfather clauses to let people into God’s heaven, but the question as it was in Paul’s day it is today: Doesn’t anyone care? Doesn’t anyone want God’s Son? The answer is this: busyness of life takes precedence. We seek our own way to heaven by trusting in that which we can see and touch. That is why idolatry is so popular. There is no faith involved, just look at a Buddha or a work of art and say: there is a god there. What foolish nonsense says Paul, and I agree. 

The MSG says it like this:”When you see God reach out to people you think are religiously stupid, you’ll throw temper tantrums.” And that is the story of the Jew and unbelievers both in the time of Paul and today. Again the MSG puts it like this: “Day after day after day, I beckoned Israel with open arms, And got nothing for my trouble but cold shoulders and icy stares.” 

Where are we today? Is our heart cold or hot? Do we care that our loved ones care nothing about scripture or Jesus? Are we as willing as Paul who would forgo his salvation that they might be saved? My heart is heavy for those who are rejecting Christ. And I wonder how then can we reach them? How about you? 

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Are you listening?

Are we listening

Matt 11 Mercy not Sacrifice

Over and over, Jesus is gracious, but when the Pharisees continue to berate him, He speaks out and acts out for He is gracious. Why did Matthew paint such a contrast picture for his Jewish audience but to show them their heart. God sent His Son to save them but instead they reject Him. As it was then, it is today, nothing has changed when the heart is not changed. Matthew shows us the true heart of the Pharisees as a point to show us where our true heart is. Jeremiah wrote: “the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked,” [Jer 17:9] 

Jesus graciously reveals His power to save when he heals and instead of rejoicing, these Pharisees condemn and plot to kill him. They are like King Arab who was given the promise of saving himself and his kingdom, but chose to ignore Elijah and in the end he was killed on the battlefield. God desires mercy, not sacrifice, but like the Pharisees we want to “earn” our salvation and reject the beautiful words of peace by our Savior. 

Today, listen and heed the word of the Lord and be saved. Today is the day of salvation. What are you and I listening to; the voice of the enemy or the voice of the Lord? 

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Jesus…Savior!

Repent and Believe

Matt 1 Salvation

Matthew, the Jew who recorded the life of Jesus wrote: “he will save his people from their sins.”  Every Jew was aware of his sin and obediently took his sacrifice on the Day of Atonement to the Temple. The Hebrews author reminded his readers that even though they had done this , it needed to be done over and over again. Now Matthew sheds new light on this problem, earthly sacrifices will never save us from our sins, but this Jesus, birthed through the Holy Spirit, will do just that.  

Today, stop and consider this precious gift of salvation through the Son of God, Jesus Christ who gave His life to save us from our sin. 

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Praise God!

The key to salvation

Eph 3 Praise God for His immeasurable grace and gift of salvation 

Paul writes to the Ephesians to know that it was by the grace of God that He revealed the promise of salvation to all Gentiles…as well as the Jews. This mystery was revealed so that we might glory in this revelation. Paul writes: 

“the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.” [Eph 3:6]  Consider those points: fellow heirs of the kingdom of our Savior, fellow members of the body meaning the church. In addition, fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus. No longer do the 

Gentiles sit apart from the grace and salvation of God but now we, who are the Gentiles, are able to say praise be to God for now I, like the Jew, can inherit the kingdom of God.  I can glory in the promises of Christ with all its blessings. I, like the Jew, can inherit the kingdom which awaits for His appearance and gathering of the saints. 

Remember and cling to this promise: “the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access to God by way of Christ’s faithfulness.”[Eph 3:12-13] We the Gentiles now have all of the above and in addition, we have this promise: we can boldly enter the Holy of Holies to present our gifts and prayers to the Father. And this all happened because of the faithfulness of God’s Holy Son who gave his life for us.

Amazing thoughts to ponder today. 

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