Back in the 60s and 70s a TV show called “Hee Haw” hit the airwaves. It was one of the funniest series I have ever seen. One of the funniest re-occurring features involved a group of “good old country boys” that were feeling sorry for themselves. They recounted their misfortunes in a song entitled…”Gloom Despair and Agony On Me”.
If you would like to relive the good ole Hee Haw days, you can watch it on the RFD-TV network, or you can see the skit on youtube… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ5ob9B9yD4
Many times, as Christians, we start to feel sorry for ourselves as we face the trials and difficulties this life has to offer. The Psalmist in Psalm 119: put a different type of “twist” on the trials he faced in during his lifetime… he looked beyond the pain he felt during the trying times and he concentrated on the end results of those trials. His conclusion about those trials can be found in Psa 119:65-72…
THE SCRIPTURE:
Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. (Psa 119:65-72)
THE STUDY:
Why does the Lord allow bad things to happen to good people? As pastor, this is one of the most common questions that hurting, faithful, Christians have asked me. Only the Lord will be able to give us a complete answer as to why we face trials in life, but one thing is certain… TRIALS BRING A CHRISTIAN CLOSER TO THE LORD. In every case, after the trial is over, a true Christian will readily admit, they are closer to the Lord after the trial than when the trial first began.
Trials in life will always bring the true Christian closer to the Lord. This is the point that King David, the author of Psalm 119: clearly proclaims. If you remember, David had faced many trials during his lifetime. His life had been threatened by King Saul following his defeat of Goliath (1 Sam 18:8-9); He had miserably failed the Lord in the incident with Bathsheba, which resulted in the loss of his child (2 Sam 11: and 12:); and later in his life His own son, Absalom, rebelled against his reign seeking to overthrow his kingdom by force. This led to Absalom’s early death. (2 Sam 17: and 18:). In spite of all these problems, and others, David was able to thank the Lord for the trials because they had brought him closer to the Lord.
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
For those of us who are saved….
In Psalm 119:65-72, David clearly reveals to us how to deal with the trials we face in our lives…..
Principle #1 Count the blessings that the Lord gives to us…
“Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word.”
“Thou art good, and doest good”
David starts by saying that the Lord had treated him well during his lifetime. In spite of the trials, David recognized the presence of God’s grace throughout his lifetime, and the forgiveness God had given to him.
Principle #2 – Recognize the value of His Word, especially during times of trials
“The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.”
“Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.
David compares the value of the Word to the value of precious metals. His conclusion? The Word is of far greater eternal, spiritual value than all the riches this world has to offer. David also compared the wealth and excess of his enemies with his possession of God’s Word. His conclusion? God’s Word brought him much greater joy than his enemies’ enjoyment of great excess and wealth.
Principle #3 – Always desire to grow in knowledge of Him and His Word; while retaining faith in His Word…
“Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.”
“teach me thy statutes.”
“The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.”
David knew the value of His Word and, therefore, craved to receive more knowledge of His Word. As David trusted in God’s Word, he realized great blessings and peace even in the midst of the trials he faced. Think about what our life would be like without God’s Word… no comfort, no peace, no direction for our life, no counsel, no wisdom…. No wonder David was craving a greater understanding of His Word as he faced the trials of his life!
Principle #4 – Concentrate on the end result of the trials we are facing….
“Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.;”
“It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”
This is the hardest principle indeed… to look beyond the pain and sorrow and to see the end result of the trials we are facing… a closer walk with Him based on a greater knowledge of His Word! What a privilege it is to face trials… Let’s thank Him for the trials we face, knowing they will result in a closer walk with Him.
For those of us who have never trusted in Christ as their Savior….
Please keep in mind, the many precious promises the Lord gives in His Word apply only to those who are saved. Until an individual places his trust in Christ, he cannot claim to be a recipient of God’s gracious intervention in His life during times of trials and heartaches.
Are you tired of facing your trials alone? Do you desire to know without a doubt, that the trials you face are for your good and your ultimate gain? (Roms 8:28) Do you need a friend that sticks closer to you than a brother, someone who will NEVER leave you nor forsake you? (Pro 18:24, Hebs 13:5)
If this is your greatest desire then look to The Lord Jesus Christ and submit your life, and your eternity to Him. Be willing to turn from your sin and begin to serve Jesus as Your Lord. (Ezek 33:14, Acts 17:29-32) He will abundantly pardon you. (Isa 55:7) He will save you form your sin and adopt you into His family. (Gals 4:4-6) You will never be alone again.
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
Showing posts with label Trust. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trust. Show all posts
Friday, August 20, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
I’m Saved! In Church I Walked Down The Aisle and Said A Prayer…
As a Pastor of 15 years, I used to ask the question, “Have you ever been saved from your sins?”. I have received many different responses to this question. Here are a few of them…
“Of course, I was baptized as a baby in (church name)”;
“Yes, I am saved, I am a member of (church name)”;
“Yes, I have kept all the sacraments of my church”;
“Yes, I was born into a Christian family, we’ve been Christians for at least four generations”;
“Why yes, thank you for asking, I walked down the aisle of (church name) and said the sinners prayer back in September of 2001”;
and many, many more.
It has broken my heart to hear responses like this coming from those for whom I care. If you notice, in every case, the above responses imply that our salvation is based on something we have done. The Bible makes it plain that our salvation does not lie in what we have done, but what the Lord has done in us. (John 6:44-45, 6:63-66, Eph 2:8-10, Php 2:12-13, Col 1:25-29, Titus 3:4-5)
So where did we get the idea that salvation is based on something that we have done? Sad to say, in many cases, the churches of today must take responsibility for fostering this false belief. Since I am a Baptist pastor, I will use Baptist churches for my example… my heart aches when I see other Baptist pastors, at the close of the service, beg and plead for people to “come down the aisle and be saved” or “repeat the sinners prayer after me and be saved”.
In many cases, this is done by well-meaning pastors who are trying to encourage those in attendance to make a commitment to Christ. But, instead of bringing about commitment, they are encouraging others to trust in a work for their salvation.
Please remember, a person can be saved just as easily standing in the pew, or sitting in a chair, or lying in a bed etc etc. The Lord can work in the heart at anytime and any place, not just at the altar in the front of the church. Likewise, salvation comes through Christ creating faith into the heart of the faithless, not by us saying any prayer.
Whenever the gospel message is given out in the Bible, it is never accompanied with the instructions to walk an aisle, or say a “sinner’s prayer” (the same can be said for baptism, church membership, keeping the sacraments, or being born into a Christian family). The gospel message, when given in the Bible, is accompanied with the instructions to trust in Christ and His work. (Acts 16:30-31, John 3:15-16 etc etc)
The only way we can be certain we are saved is by knowing the Lord has worked in our lives. How can we know this for sure? The Bible makes it plain….
THE SCRIPTURE:
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. … For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2Co 5:17-21)
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (Jas 2:14-26)
THE STUDY:
In the Bible, a true salvation experience brings about change in the life of the believer. When God intervenes in the life of a sinner and brings him to salvation, the newly saved person becomes a new creation in Christ. (2 Cor 5:17-21) This “new creation” involves a new attitude about the Lord and sin. (Eph 4:22-24) The newly saved now sees Christ as their Lord and despises the sin in their life. This new attitude then motivates the Christian to begin a life of service to their Lord and Savior. This service is described as fruit bearing. (John 15:1-5, Gals 5:19-26) This changed life is one of the reasons why God has saved us (Eph 2:8-10).
Also, this changed life is what gives us the ultimate assurance that the Lord has worked a work of saving grace in our lives. James clearly presented this principle in James chapter 2. In verses 14-26, James refers to “dead” faith as opposed to a Godly saving faith. How can we tell the difference? James tells us the works that we perform will reveal the true nature of the faith we have within us. The lack of a changed life shows us that the faith we possess is not of God but simply a work that we performed in and of ourselves (a dead faith). A changed life brought about by our faith, shows us that our faith is a work of God in our heart. (Please read James 2:14-26 in it’s entirety to come to a full understanding of James’ teachings.)
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
So let me rephrase my original question, “Have you ever exercised faith in Christ? If so, has this faith produced a changed life within you? Do you now love the Lord and seek to please Him with your life. Do you now hate sin and strive to rid it from your life?” These questions get to the heart of our spiritual condition.
If you can say, “yes” to all three, you can be assured that you have been forgiven of your sins and are a part of God’s family. If you must say “no” to any, or all, of these then you must come to the realization you are yet in your sins. If you are yet in your sins, please follow the dictates of God’s Word….
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”(1Jn 5:11-13)
If you would like more information about salvation, please refer to my blog page entitled “forgiveness”.
Also, if you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike”http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
“Of course, I was baptized as a baby in (church name)”;
“Yes, I am saved, I am a member of (church name)”;
“Yes, I have kept all the sacraments of my church”;
“Yes, I was born into a Christian family, we’ve been Christians for at least four generations”;
“Why yes, thank you for asking, I walked down the aisle of (church name) and said the sinners prayer back in September of 2001”;
and many, many more.
It has broken my heart to hear responses like this coming from those for whom I care. If you notice, in every case, the above responses imply that our salvation is based on something we have done. The Bible makes it plain that our salvation does not lie in what we have done, but what the Lord has done in us. (John 6:44-45, 6:63-66, Eph 2:8-10, Php 2:12-13, Col 1:25-29, Titus 3:4-5)
So where did we get the idea that salvation is based on something that we have done? Sad to say, in many cases, the churches of today must take responsibility for fostering this false belief. Since I am a Baptist pastor, I will use Baptist churches for my example… my heart aches when I see other Baptist pastors, at the close of the service, beg and plead for people to “come down the aisle and be saved” or “repeat the sinners prayer after me and be saved”.
In many cases, this is done by well-meaning pastors who are trying to encourage those in attendance to make a commitment to Christ. But, instead of bringing about commitment, they are encouraging others to trust in a work for their salvation.
Please remember, a person can be saved just as easily standing in the pew, or sitting in a chair, or lying in a bed etc etc. The Lord can work in the heart at anytime and any place, not just at the altar in the front of the church. Likewise, salvation comes through Christ creating faith into the heart of the faithless, not by us saying any prayer.
Whenever the gospel message is given out in the Bible, it is never accompanied with the instructions to walk an aisle, or say a “sinner’s prayer” (the same can be said for baptism, church membership, keeping the sacraments, or being born into a Christian family). The gospel message, when given in the Bible, is accompanied with the instructions to trust in Christ and His work. (Acts 16:30-31, John 3:15-16 etc etc)
The only way we can be certain we are saved is by knowing the Lord has worked in our lives. How can we know this for sure? The Bible makes it plain….
THE SCRIPTURE:
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. … For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2Co 5:17-21)
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (Jas 2:14-26)
THE STUDY:
In the Bible, a true salvation experience brings about change in the life of the believer. When God intervenes in the life of a sinner and brings him to salvation, the newly saved person becomes a new creation in Christ. (2 Cor 5:17-21) This “new creation” involves a new attitude about the Lord and sin. (Eph 4:22-24) The newly saved now sees Christ as their Lord and despises the sin in their life. This new attitude then motivates the Christian to begin a life of service to their Lord and Savior. This service is described as fruit bearing. (John 15:1-5, Gals 5:19-26) This changed life is one of the reasons why God has saved us (Eph 2:8-10).
Also, this changed life is what gives us the ultimate assurance that the Lord has worked a work of saving grace in our lives. James clearly presented this principle in James chapter 2. In verses 14-26, James refers to “dead” faith as opposed to a Godly saving faith. How can we tell the difference? James tells us the works that we perform will reveal the true nature of the faith we have within us. The lack of a changed life shows us that the faith we possess is not of God but simply a work that we performed in and of ourselves (a dead faith). A changed life brought about by our faith, shows us that our faith is a work of God in our heart. (Please read James 2:14-26 in it’s entirety to come to a full understanding of James’ teachings.)
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
So let me rephrase my original question, “Have you ever exercised faith in Christ? If so, has this faith produced a changed life within you? Do you now love the Lord and seek to please Him with your life. Do you now hate sin and strive to rid it from your life?” These questions get to the heart of our spiritual condition.
If you can say, “yes” to all three, you can be assured that you have been forgiven of your sins and are a part of God’s family. If you must say “no” to any, or all, of these then you must come to the realization you are yet in your sins. If you are yet in your sins, please follow the dictates of God’s Word….
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”(1Jn 5:11-13)
If you would like more information about salvation, please refer to my blog page entitled “forgiveness”.
Also, if you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike”http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
Saturday, June 19, 2010
A Place that has to be Believed to be Seen
How many times have we heard the saying…. “seeing is believing”? In other words, experience leads to belief. It is only when we experience something that we can then place our faith in it. This is a generally accepted attitude that has existed throughout the generations, to say otherwise is just being foolish. Or is it?
In their song “Walk On” the group U2 sings the following lyrics… “Walk on, walk on; What you got, they can't steal it; No they can't even feel it; Walk on, walk on; Stay safe tonight... You're packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been; A place that has to be believed to be seen” (http://www.macphisto.net/u2lyrics/Walk_On.html) In the context, they point out that heaven must be believed in BEFORE it can be experienced. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wfjPmDlCB0
The need to have belief before someone can enter into heaven aligns itself with Bible teachings … “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” … “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.” (Heb 11:1, 13-14) The need for faith to precede experience is not a principle limited to our experience of heaven, the Word of God makes it clear that faith is an absolute necessity in many areas of our Christian life…
THE SCRIPTURE:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Gal 5:22-25)
THE STUDY:
Faith is a basic Biblical principle, going far beyond the subject of heaven. It applies to many different aspects of Christian living… when it comes to spiritual living, belief must precede experience. Faith is necessary for the forgiveness of sin, for the receipt of the promises of God, as well as the experience of God’s glory after our death. (Roms 5:1, Roms 4:13, Roms 5:2) Truly the life of a Christian is a life centered on faith, which then leads to experience.
One of the most amazing things about faith is that it is not a natural part of man, it is given to us as a gift from God. (Eph 2:8-9). This emphasizes our need for Him in all areas of our life. At our initial salvation experience, we could not trust in Him apart from His intervention in our lives. (John 6:44) During our Christian life on earth, we are helpless to trust His promises and receive His blessings apart from His gift of faith. (Matt 13:58) And finally, we would all be without hope for our future without His faith being granted to us. (1 Pet 1:18-21). Yes, the Word is so true when it says that “If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. (Joh 9:33)
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
In Gals 5:22-25, “faith” is described as a “fruit of the Spirit”. In other words, like all the other fruits of the Spirit, our life should be a living testament of the faith that has been so graciously given to us. As we live our life on earth, the choices we make exhibits our faith to others. Pastor Charles Stanley of the First Baptist Church of Atlanta Ga.; says that we should “obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.” This is a very simple way of stating the role of faith in the life of a Christian. By choosing to obey the Lord, we are choosing to exercise faith in Him and His promises, instead of relying on our own abilities and devices. This is the testimony we should be living in the sight of others…ALWAYS putting the Lord first and then, by faith, trusting Him to take care of the consequences of our actions.
For those who have never received the Lord’s faith into your life…. Your most important responsibility is to look to Him for salvation, realizing apart from Christ, you can do nothing for your own salvation. He must intervene in your life and save you from your sins. By totally trusting on Christ for your salvation, you are fulfilling your responsibility and can be assured that He has given you spiritual life and a wonderful eternity awaiting you…
“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:5-10)
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
May the Lord bless your study of His Word.
Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
In their song “Walk On” the group U2 sings the following lyrics… “Walk on, walk on; What you got, they can't steal it; No they can't even feel it; Walk on, walk on; Stay safe tonight... You're packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been; A place that has to be believed to be seen” (http://www.macphisto.net/u2lyrics/Walk_On.html) In the context, they point out that heaven must be believed in BEFORE it can be experienced. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wfjPmDlCB0
The need to have belief before someone can enter into heaven aligns itself with Bible teachings … “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” … “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.” (Heb 11:1, 13-14) The need for faith to precede experience is not a principle limited to our experience of heaven, the Word of God makes it clear that faith is an absolute necessity in many areas of our Christian life…
THE SCRIPTURE:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Gal 5:22-25)
THE STUDY:
Faith is a basic Biblical principle, going far beyond the subject of heaven. It applies to many different aspects of Christian living… when it comes to spiritual living, belief must precede experience. Faith is necessary for the forgiveness of sin, for the receipt of the promises of God, as well as the experience of God’s glory after our death. (Roms 5:1, Roms 4:13, Roms 5:2) Truly the life of a Christian is a life centered on faith, which then leads to experience.
One of the most amazing things about faith is that it is not a natural part of man, it is given to us as a gift from God. (Eph 2:8-9). This emphasizes our need for Him in all areas of our life. At our initial salvation experience, we could not trust in Him apart from His intervention in our lives. (John 6:44) During our Christian life on earth, we are helpless to trust His promises and receive His blessings apart from His gift of faith. (Matt 13:58) And finally, we would all be without hope for our future without His faith being granted to us. (1 Pet 1:18-21). Yes, the Word is so true when it says that “If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. (Joh 9:33)
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
In Gals 5:22-25, “faith” is described as a “fruit of the Spirit”. In other words, like all the other fruits of the Spirit, our life should be a living testament of the faith that has been so graciously given to us. As we live our life on earth, the choices we make exhibits our faith to others. Pastor Charles Stanley of the First Baptist Church of Atlanta Ga.; says that we should “obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.” This is a very simple way of stating the role of faith in the life of a Christian. By choosing to obey the Lord, we are choosing to exercise faith in Him and His promises, instead of relying on our own abilities and devices. This is the testimony we should be living in the sight of others…ALWAYS putting the Lord first and then, by faith, trusting Him to take care of the consequences of our actions.
For those who have never received the Lord’s faith into your life…. Your most important responsibility is to look to Him for salvation, realizing apart from Christ, you can do nothing for your own salvation. He must intervene in your life and save you from your sins. By totally trusting on Christ for your salvation, you are fulfilling your responsibility and can be assured that He has given you spiritual life and a wonderful eternity awaiting you…
“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:5-10)
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
May the Lord bless your study of His Word.
Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
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