Category: Words Written

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Ransom

Matthew 20:28 [fullscreen]

..Ransom..

transitive verb:

  1. to deliver especially from sin or its penalty
  2. to free from captivity or punishment by paying a price

Noun:

  1. a consideration paid or demanded for the release of someone or something from captivity
  2. the act of ransoming In the biblical example:

28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” ~ Matthew 20:28 (ESV) . Our captive souls were redeemed by at a cost beyond compare, hence our debt is not “cancelled, but paid. . .

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12 And there is salvation in no one else

Acts 4:12 [mobile-1262x1262].png

12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12 (ESV)

There is a tremendous challenge in realizing and accepting we need to be rescued as the acceptance of failure is often almost unbearable to swallow. But such sweet joy is found beyond that valley of despair for not only is rescue possible it is found in the abundance that is in Christ. Beyond that is the need to recognize that salvation is found in no other place beyond the Christ.

#bible #Christian #faith #timelesstruth #Jesus #worship #fellowship #inthelight #salvation

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Acts 2:38 [mobile-1262x1262].png

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ~Acts 2:38 (ESV)

The preaching of Peter is the fulfillment of the expectation of Jesus. He was told to baptize in the Jesus’ name and his exhortation closes down with that same refrain!

 

#bible #Christian #faith #timelesstruth #Jesus #transformation

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Eyes of your Heart

Ephesians 1:18 [mobile-1262x1262]

18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ~ Ephesians 1:18 (ESV)

One of Paul’s prayers for the believers in Ephesus should be our own. The ability to see with genuine spiritual discernment is a window to great spiritual success. How we see what surrounds up will always drive us to the choices we make on our journey to be evermore like Christ. When we begin to value our spiritual blessings beyond our temporal surroundings hope will abound beyond compare.

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What does heart look like?

Hebrews 12:1 [fullscreen]

We recently had the privilege to spend time with family and friends in Texas. I’m not sure if everyone knows this or not, but it is often pretty warm in a Texas summer, and pretty humid. So, what would you think about getting out and plugging in some miles to build yourself into a stronger runner while there? Pretty crazy if you ask me. But that’s just what James (age 10) asked me to help him do. Sure, it was hot and running is hard, but he got out and did the work. (about 2.5 miles 2x while there.)

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we van imperishable.” ~ 1 Corinthians 9:24–25 (ESV)

What about us? The work our Lord wants us to be busy at isn’t always easy. Sometimes we have to endure heartache unplanned, survive the pain of growth and reach new heights (and valleys, but the work is worth it. The journey is worth it. Heaven is worth it.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” ~ Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)

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2 “Must Haves” for every Gospel Preacher

“Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.”  ~ 1 Timothy 4:16 (NASB95)

Don’t get caught up in the latest hype or fads, successful gospel work stands on these 2 pillars…

  1. yourself: Develop personal integrity that matches your message, far greater harm than can be imagined is done when the one tasked with sharing the gospel of God’s grace destroys the impact of their work by the stain of rebellion. Paul was keenly on point  “but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. ~ 1 Corinthians 9:27 (NASB95)
  2. your teaching: Be true to the book. No amount of “relevant ideas”, “new line thought”, or “it will help right now well wishing” can suplant the simplicity and genuine effectiveness of the very message God wants to be spoken. The Holy Spirit charged “But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine” ~ Titus 2:1

Beyond this, there is clearly the need for hard work and competent answers to the challenging questions of life and Godliness, but if you deviate from these 2 pillars no amount of sophistry or worldly wisdom will undo the lasting harm done.

 

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How to regain control of your Facebook Feed in 3 easy steps.

Perhaps you’re like me and enjoy staying touch with friends and family, but are not super interested in being distracted by any number of the facets of modern social media. Here’s a short tip to clear up an overly busy facebook feed.

Say you have a good friend or family member who is really into a particular hobby, maybe it’s Kayaking. Now, I don’t know why people would want to kayak, since canoeing is so much more civilized, but you love them despite this one flaw. 😉

Step one: Find this little inverted v and select it

2016-05-25 13.34.20

Step two: You may need to select the option for more as seen below

2016-05-25 13.36.40

Step three: Hide all posts from that page!

2016-05-25 13.38.11

Victory!!!!

While I illustrated this with a little bit of humor, you could easily apply it in an effort to seek that your facebook feed is filled up with things, noble, pure and good, and to keep out the few weeds that sometimes crop up

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Should God have made us, knowing many will be lost?, by Doy Moyer

One of the more difficult questions asked about God is this: why would God create people whom He knew would reject Him and, therefore, be forever lost?

First, while the following may not typically satisfy the unbeliever who asks the question, we need to consider this:

“Who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, ‘Why did you make me like this,’ will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.” (Rom. 9:20-24)

This gets into the nature of God, who is all-knowing, all-wise, and sovereign over life and death. Do we really have a right to question God on the way we are made? Even so, there is an important idea stated in this passage that helps inform us about the issue: God has shown His patience and wrath toward those who perish so that He can show forth His grace and glorify His people. The wicked do perish, and while God would rather that they all come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9), He will not allow that fact to keep Him from being able to glorify His own. He is a God who glorifies. He took the risk, at least in part, because glorifying people is worth it to Him.

God created humankind with free will and the capacity to choose love. He did this so that He can glorify, but we make a mess through our abuse of the freedom and choice to hate God and others. Should that fact have kept God from creating those whom He can glorify? Not at all.

Why should those who freely choose to love God be prevented from being blessed, saved, and glorified just because there will be those who choose not to love God? If people choosing not to love God should have prevented God from making the human race with free will and the capacity to love, then the idea of the negative, obstinate, hard-hearted who would have had no desire for God would have wielded more influence over God’s decisions and will than the fact that it is in God’s nature to bless and glorify free will creatures. Evil should not be allowed to suppress the good. For God to keep from doing good because He knows there will be evil would be to let the concept of evil have the final say in what ought to happen. This is not God’s mode of operation.

I can only conclude that the provision to bless and glorify His image-bearers is extremely important to God in the scheme of things — more important than letting the fact that many will perish stop Him from doing what He loves and wills to do. Allowing the knowledge of unbelief to keep Him from creating those whom He can glorify together with Him would be giving too much credence to rejection. Is Yahweh a God who allows the negative to trump the positive, the evil to overcome the good? Apparently not. Let’s not forget, either, that God has made this salvation and glory available to all by His grace.

Every parent knows that bringing a child into the world runs a risk. The child can bring great joy and happiness, or the child can bring much sorrow and pain. Parents desire to have children that they can bless and care for. They know they will have times of great difficulty. They know there will be growing pains. They patiently work with their children through the hardships to bring them up. Parental desire to bless their children doesn’t change even as they grow up and move out. Yet that risk is there that the children will finally rebel, reject parental love, and turn their backs on the blessings and love that come through the family. Even so, knowing this risk and possibility, people keep having children and holding on to the desire to have a family they can bless and keep in close fellowship. The potential for the love and joy is great enough to take that risk. There is goodness in being able to bless someone. That goodness and love is in the nature of God, and this motivates God to bless and glorify a special people, even though others will have turned their backs on Him to be lost.

Likewise, every potential friendship runs the risk of causing great pain and heart-ache. Yet, we believe strongly enough in the love, the fellowship, and the joy that comes from it that we are willing to run that risk of loss. Should we let the fact that some may betray us cause us never to seek out friendship, fellowship, or love? Should we let the fear of loss keep us from the potential of love and joy?

Why would God create people whom he knew would reject Him and therefore be forever lost? It would seem, at least in part, that the answer lies in the fact that God, in His goodness, love, and grace, has strong motivation to bless and glorify free will creatures made in His image. Yet to make free will creatures He can glorify also meant making free will creatures who would choose to reject and hate Him, which puts them in a very bad position. Bear in mind, also, that even if we never fully understand this, that does not put us in a position to deny God.

God’s offer and desire is to glorify us, but He won’t force us to accept. Will we be vessels of wrath prepared for destruction or vessels of mercy prepared for glory? As Moses told the people of his day, “So choose life in order that you may live” (Deut. 30:19).

Doy Moyer

find this and more thought provoking articles here: http://www.mindyourfaith.com/

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