Free Salvation

Free, but not cheap!

Your salvation is a gift freely given and received from God, but it is not cheap. It is the most expensive gift you will ever receive.

God comes and offers us free salvation. But He does not change His standard. He remains a righteous and holy God.

How could it be possible that Jesus Christ could die as a substitute for my penalty as a sinner? It is because He is the infinite God, not a sinful man, that He could die for an infinite number of sinners. Because He is God He could pay the eternal punishment for all of our sins.

Second Corinthians 5:21 tells us it was not enough that He should only die and pay the penalty of our sins, but that His perfect righteousness would be counted in God’s eyes as our righteousness. All of the pure righteousness of Jesus Christ is now available through Him to the believing sinner.

Based upon the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, God can now come and offer the great invitation to all sinners to come and join Him in heaven.

How do I know that this is absolute truth? Look at the empty tomb! Christ is alive! The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the proof that God is eternally satisfied with the sacrifice of His Son on the cross.

Now you and I can take the righteousness of God and go boldly or trembling to the scales of justice and put it over against all the perfection God has demanded and that He must demand. The balance is immediately made. The Christian believer stands before God justified. God can never have anything against you and me forever.

You are justified when you trust in that perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, rather than in your own self-righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21). You will never be justified in the eyes of God if you cling to your own good works.

We can sing with great profound theology: “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling.” We are justified by faith alone, through grace alone, in Jesus Christ alone.

However, we are not justified by a faith that is alone. Therefore, if you really go to that cross, believing in the saving work of Christ, you will be abounding in the works of the Lord.

If our salvation is received as a free gift someone had to pay for it. Since you and I did not, who did?

The apostle Paul tells us that Jesus Christ redeemed us, not with perishable things like silver and gold, but “with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Pet. 1:19).

Our salvation is an expensive gift which we do not deserve and cannot merit! We were “redeemed” meaning to release, to purchase a release by a ransom, to deliver by the payment of a price. Our spiritual freedom was purchased with the great payment of the blood of Jesus Christ. Thus, the grace that saves us is not cheap.

The blood of Jesus is “precious.” It is of great value, precious to God. The most precious thing to God is the blood of His Son Jesus.
 
 
 
cited: www.abideinchrist.com/selah


How to Find God in Your Fears

But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:26-27)

The great American preacher H.A. Ironside was one day down on his hands and knees playing with his young son. He started to pretend he was a bear, and growled loudly at the little boy. His son became afraid, and went running up to his dad and said, “You’re not a bear; you’re my papa!”

Many times in our lives, the very things we fear are acts of God Himself. These are things that perhaps God has brought into our lives so that we can run to Him… to find our strength in Him, relish His love, and experience His awesome grace.

When the disciples of Jesus thought their boat was about to capsize on the Sea of Galilee during the storm, they looked out and they thought they saw a ghost. Needless to say, they had many reasons to be afraid. But what they saw was Jesus… God in the midst of the storm!



A Prayer for a Full Life of Faith

“I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Philippians 3:12, NIV).

When you take hold, grasp, and make your own all of what Jesus had already taken hold of for you, you begin to experience life to the full—the faith you’ve always longed for. If we would grasp and make our own what Jesus has already done for us, and what He has deposited in us, our lives would look very different than the tepid faith of the average churchgoer.
It’s not enough to know the promises of God, you’ve got to grab hold with all the firmness of the trapeze artist—release what is behind and take hold of what is ahead. That is the greatest show on earth. That is how the greatest faith on earth becomes a reality.
God’s promises are not automatic. We must move from knowing the promise, to believing the promise, to actually taking hold of the promise through obedient action in order to make them a reality in our lives. God told Joshua about the Promised Land, “I will give you every place where you set your foot” (Joshua 1:3). He and the Israelites had to “set their feet” to conquer the land; to grab hold of the promise that was theirs for the taking.
God’s power, provision, and purposes are for “whosoever will” (Mark 8:34 KJV). Will what? Will let go of all that holds you back from experiencing the abundant life of the adventurous faith and take hold of truth that makes it so.
Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, and to you and me: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived, all that God has planned for those who love Him” (1 Cor 2:9). Another translations says: “What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed]” (AMPC). Every one of those plans that God has prepared, made, and keeps ready requires us to let go of one thing and take hold of another. It was this truth that gave me the courage and confidence to leave the comfortable land of in-between—to let go of simply being a nice church girl and venture into the purpose God had planned for me all along.
 
Lord, I want to move forward and take hold of all that You have taken hold of for me, but sometimes I have trouble letting go. Help me to release all that hinders my spiritual growth and intimate relationship with You. I open my heart, my hands, and my eyes to all You have for me.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.


The Cure For Sin

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

(2 Corinthians 5:21)

Sin… little word, big problem. Think of all the problems in your own life caused by your sin. Think of all the problems in the world caused by the sin of others – wars, violence, stealing, laziness, and envy. On and on and on the list goes and grows. There is a saying, “Sin is the seed, and death is the harvest.” The Bible has a lot to say about sin. It tells us that sin is not only the bad things we do, but also the good things we don’t do. When we fail to love, give or help, we are engaging in sin. As long as we never do wrong and always do right, we don’t and won’t have a problem with sin. Thanks… that helped a lot. 🙂 The Bible tells us how to deal with past sins and how to deal with sin in the present and future. It is easier than you think. “Past sins,” you may ask? Ask for forgiveness.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

What about our present sins? Hebrews 12:1b-2a says that we should strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up and that we should run with endurance the race God has set before us.

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Friend don’t tell God you have a big sin problem, tell the sin problem that you have a big God. Think about life, think about Jesus, and keep your eyes on Him.



Taking the Hit

People hate to defer pleasure; we are creatures of the moment because we are creatures of the flesh. And the flesh knows only one space-time continuum—here, now: Yet if I have a certainty of a future payout, a promise that the cavalry is coming, a definite delivery date of the dream, I can endure a great deal. For God’s dream to be realized in your life, the training is more about endurance than quickness. We are called to endure a great deal and sacrifice experiences, moments, and seasons for a payout that may not come in this life, why, because endurance through sacrifice is the character and expression of Jesus.
The pig and the chicken were on their way to breakfast trying to decide what they wanted to have. The chicken said “Let’s have some ham and eggs. The pig said, well that’s fine for you, it’s a small donation on your part but it’s a total sacrifice on my part. The point of that little joke is donation without sacrifice is not significant. Henry Lord Beecher said, “It’s not what we take up, it’s what we give up that makes us rich” and in the words of an old Negro Spiritual, “This world is not my home I’m just a passing through, If heavens not my home then Lord what will I do. “

To want Christ means to want to become a man who can sacrifice whatever and whenever. And when we make our peace with that, God’s dream for us makes progress. Any attempt to blend the dreams of earth with the dream of God in Christ will force you into losing yardage for the Kingdom and you’ll be struggling to kick field goals instead of scoring touchdowns.


How to Face Your Fears with Faith

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:18)
 
The well-known newspaper column “Ask Ann Landers” has received thousands, perhaps even millions, of letters over the years from people asking for advice. One day, the woman who wrote under the pseudonym Ann Landers was asked, “What’s the number one problem the people who are writing to you face?” She thought for a moment and said, “Fear… people are afraid.”

Fear is as pervasive in our culture as breathing. We who live today are arguably safer than anyone who has ever lived in history. Yet whenever we seem to eradicate one problem, our minds will simply jump to the next one.

This is because fear is inevitable. But as believers, we can choose whether we will fear the right things or the wrong things. As today’s verse tells us, “perfect love casts out fear.” But as we read Proverbs 9:10, we also see that the “fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.”

Fear is good when it’s a healthy respect for something that is bigger than you. But when your fear is focused on things that really have no power over you, then your fear is actually idolatry, because you’re ascribing power to something that’s powerless.

Don’t fear things that are powerless. Instead, have a healthy, fearful respect for God, who is bigger than everything and empowers you to overcome any fear you face!



Strategies for Building a Quiet Time with God

“But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well” (Matthew 6:33 CEV).
Everyone struggles with quiet-time consistency from time to time. Know that if you’re struggling with it, you’re not alone! The good news is that with a common problem come some common solutions. Next time you find yourself struggling with your daily quiet time — or even before you start to struggle — try some of these solutions:
1. Make a covenant. Commit to God that you’ll spend at least some time with him every day of your life, even if it’s just two minutes — not because everyone else is doing it, but because you want to spend time with Jesus. Put your commitment in writing.
2. Put it in your weekly schedule. Put it on your computer, your phone, or wherever you keep your schedule. Block out in advance a time to meet with God every day, just as you would a doctor’s appointment, a business lunch, or a meeting with your boss.
3. Be prepared for the attacks of the Devil. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.The devil will do whatever he can to keep you away from your time with God. Be on your guard and prepared for the attacks.
4. Do it for six weeks straight. Psychologists say it takes about six weeks for a habit to develop. It takes about three weeks to get familiar with a new task or new behavior. It takes about another three weeks before it becomes a solid habit in your life. Most people have never been consistent in their daily time with God because they’ve never made it past the six-week barrier without missing a day.

5. Depend on God-power, not willpower. You can only succeed by the power of God’s Spirit. Ask God to strengthen you and give you the mind of Christ, so you’ll depend on him to help you develop this habit. If you just depend on willpower, you don’t have any hope to stay consistent.

Jesus wants you to spend time with him. He died on the cross to give you fellowship with him. You don’t have time not to do this. Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well”(CEV). Make time for God, and it’ll change your life.


Alone Time

You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11
Have you found yourself all alone at times? Your home may be filled with people and your schedule jammed packed with events but you feel all alone. Why is that? I have come to find myself in that place frequently. I really believe that the loneliness is a result of understanding the companionship with the Lord. Only Jesus can fill our cups, only Jesus can be our source of fellowship, and only Jesus can love us in the way that brings rest and peace to our souls. After knowing what it is to have true fellowship with the Lord, nothing (and no one) can take His place. When I find myself alone in a crowded room, I realize that I’m missing Jesus. He has not left me, for He promises to never leave me nor forsake me. Instead, the emptiness is a result of not finding time to be alone with Him.
Frequently in the Bible, Jesus spent time alone with His Father. He knew that He needed that uninterrupted time alone in prayer and fellowship. If Jesus needed time alone with God, how much more do we? The Lord promises that in His presence is fullness of joy. Having experienced that joy, we long for quality time alone with Him. Once we have tasted of the Lord, we know that nothing else tastes as sweet.
Ask the Lord to help you find time every day to be alone with Him. He hears our prayers and He desires to have fellowship with us. Jesus has made a way for us to come to Him freely. He will make a way for us to walk with Him daily if we are truly seeking Him.


Seeking Guidance

Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (psalm 25:4-5)
 
When you’re facing a decision, whether big or small, it is important to wait upon God for His direction and timing. And though it may sound paradoxical, there are three ways that we can take an active role in the process while we wait.
 
First, we should examine our heart, asking the Holy Spirit to expose any wrongs. If He brings something to light, it is important to take care of that sin immediately–by confessing, repenting, and doing whatever’s needed to correct the situation. At times we push this task aside because the impending decision seems like our main concern. Yet we cannot hear from God or receive His full blessing until we deal with transgression.
 
Second, when seeking direction, we should listen patiently and attentively for the Lord to give the go-ahead. It can be difficult to wait, especially when emotions or logic lead us to favor one choice.
 
Third, the answer to our prayer at times requires our involvement. For instance, when people tell me they’re out of work and trusting God to provide, I always want to know if they are actively looking for a job. Some are not; they are simply praying. We have responsibility not only to present God with requests and seek His guidance but also to be active in the process. Waiting on God is not an excuse to be lazy.
 
Prayer is a beautiful privilege that the heavenly Father gives to His children. He desires to lead us into a life of abundance. We should take an active part in seeking His will and listening for His voice. As we follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we will experience all that the Lord has for us.


Expressions of Praise

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.Glorifying the Lord is not limited to worshipping in church. In fact, praise ought to permeate the believer’s life.  (Psalm 34:1-3)

One obvious way that we praise the Lord is with our voice. We can either speak or sing our worship. Psalm writers put adoration into words and set their love to music. True worship also flows from the mouths of believers who are focused upon God’s attributes. They desire to honor Him because of who He is, what He has done, and what He has promised for the future.
Genuine worship allows the Lord to fill our hearts and minds with His presence. But praising the Lord with wrong motives is an empty act. For example, if we’re lifting our hands and singing loud only because doing so feels good, then what we’re after is an emotional high. That kind of selfish “praise” falls far short of heaven.
Our God is praised when we serve Him. People are created for the purpose of bringing glory and honor to His name. Therefore, nothing should limit our willingness to work for the King, particularly when we have a chance to share Him with others. Christ is honored when His followers speak boldly about His grace and His work—believers’ testimonies are an amazing form of praise that magnifies God’s name.
Jesus Christ is worth more than any treasure this world offers. Loving Him and understanding what He’s done for you should be all the motivation you need to praise Him with your life. Don’t just sing; serve His kingdom and share the gospel. Help to make God’s throne room ring with worship.