To Pardon And Sanctify Me

This verse from the old hymn, The Old Rugged Cross, offers powerful hope for our earthly lives and for our eternal souls:

In the old rugged Cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For the dear Lamb of God, left his Glory above,
To pardon and sanctify me.

Jesus died to pardon our sins -- our acts and deeds of rebellion -- and to purify our Sin -- our attitudes and dispositions of rebellion.

But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
-- 1 John 1:9 (NLT)

Lord, thanks for saving and for sanctifying me.
Grateful

If People Are Causing Divisions Among You?

(10) If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them. (11) For people like that have turned away from the truth, and their own sins condemn them.
-- Titus 3:10-11 (NLT)

We want to be an answer to the prayer of the Lord -- unity. (John 17)
We do not want to be a victims to the snare of the devil -- divisions.

Click here: PHIL DRISCOLL - MAKE US ONE - YouTube

(Yes, I often repeat the good songs.)

Deo Volente -- Whatever God Wants!
Grateful

Give Up Your Evil Ways

Get your sins out of my sight.
Give up your evil ways.
-- From Isaiah 1:16 (NLT)

Holiness Unto The LORD!
Grateful

Snatching Them From The Door of Death

17 Some were fools; they rebelled
and suffered for their sins.
18 They couldn’t stand the thought of food,
and they were knocking on death’s door.
19 “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,
and He saved them from their distress.
20 He sent out His word and healed them,
snatching them from the door of death.
21 Let them praise the Lord for His great love
and for the wonderful things He has done for them.
22 Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving
and sing joyfully about His glorious acts.
-- Psalm 107:17-22 (NLT)

Holiness Unto The LORD!
Grateful

Buried He Carried My Sins Far Away

The Casting Crowns song, "Glorious Day", touches my soul to the very depths every time I hear it (or whenever I just think of the lyrics). Lines like "Buried He Carried My Sins Far Away" serve to enlarge and to enhance "Prevailing Hope" in my heart of hearts. Listen to the song and see if you agree:

Click here: YouTube - Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me)

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. -- Psalm 103:12 (NLT)

God's Love Never Fails and His Hope Always Prevails!
Grateful

Jesus Saves & Delivers From All Sin

John Wesley once said: I see the necessity of preaching a full and present salvation from all sin.

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. -- 1 John 1:7 (NIV)

Dearest my Lord Jesus: Thank You for dying not only to forgive my sins -- the actions, yes, the deeds of sinning, but to also deliver me from my Sin -- especially the attitude, the disposition of my self-centered ego. It is true to say of You -- JESUS SAVES FROM THE GUTTER MOST, TO THE UTTERMOST! Your Name is Great and Greatly to be praised. Amen.

By Faith. In Faith. (Hebrews 11)
Grateful

I Belong Between The Bread & The Blood

We have now entered that season between Christmas and Easter.

During the Holy Days of the Christmas season, it slowly but surely struck me that Bethlehem is called The House of Bread and Calvary is all about The Blood.

As we live between The Bread and The Blood, let us be in constant Communion with The One Who was born as our Baby King. Yes, and let us be intentional about an ever-increasing intimate relationship with Immanuel, The Lamb Who was once (and for all-time) slain for our sins (but is now Alive forevermore!)

Soon enough we will find ourselves in that celebration season between His glorious Resurrection and His powerful Ascension with the remarkable reality of Pentecost on the horizon.

Lord Jesus, during every season leading up to my faith finally becoming sight -- on that Day when You return for me -- I want to belong to You, and never betray You! I belong between The Bread and The Blood. Amen!

Click link below for Kathryn Scott's song "I Belong":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg9TchaiOck&feature=related

(23b) The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, (24) and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." (25)In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me." (26) For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. (27) Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. (28) A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. (29) For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. -- 1 Corinthians 18:23b-29 (NIV)

Lord, from Your first cry in Bethlehem's Manger to Your final cry on Calvary's Cross, You have given to me everything necessary to succeed spiritually in every season of life and death! You are so Faithful. Find me ever so...

...Grateful (for Bethlehem's Bread and Calvary's Blood!)

Is American Retirement a Kingdom Tragedy?

The American definition of retirement is losing its appeal to me. I'm talking about the whole idea of reaching a certain age so I can focus the sunset years of my life -- yes the lion's share of my remaining time, abilities, and money -- mainly on my own leisure and earthly pleasure rather than on God's mission and eternal treasure.

Is it possible that the American definition of retirement is in fact a Kingdom Tragedy? If you're brave enough to think about it, here's a link that will assist you. It might mess up your future plans?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60_TmQdxkcI&feature=related

So I pray, Lord, help me to trace and embrace Your plans for my entire existence on planet earth. Yes, I want my whole life, to the very end, to be ordered by You alone. Remind me that my life does not belong to me, but to You, totally. I am so humbled and grateful that You died to save me from my sinful actions and from my self-centered attitude, too. Please Lord, don't let the traditional American definition of retirement rock me asleep spiritually. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

...their own complacency will destroy them. -- Proverbs 1:32 (NLT)

You are not your own... -- 1 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV)

(24) Then Jesus said to the disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. (25) If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. (26) And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul?" -- Matthew 16:24-26 (NLT)

For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.
-- Hebrews 3:14 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

It's Time to Get Right With God!

James 5:16 (NLT) Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.

It's time to get right with God!

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Under God or Gone Under?

"If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." -- President Ronald Reagan

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land. -- 2 Chron. 7:14 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Jesus Always Lives to Make Intercession

(23) The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; (24) but He (JESUS, OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST) holds His priesthood permanently, because He continues forever. (25) Consequently He is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. (26) For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens. (27) He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for His own sins and then for those of the people; He did this once for all when He offered up Himself. -- Hebrews 7:23-27 (RSV)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Prayer: Simple & Profound

Prayer is so simple that even children can pray, and it is so profound that unless adults have childlike hearts they cannot pray.

Then He (Jesus) said, "I assure you, unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven." -- Matthew 18:3 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Free Indeed: A Place in The Family

John 8:34-36 (NIV) -- (34) Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. (35) Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. (36) So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

Lord, thanks for the price You paid to give me a permanent place in Your Family. Yes, thanks for shedding Your innocent blood, not to give me freedom to sin, but to give me freedom from sin. I owe my life, my all to You, my Jesus, The Elder Brother of The Family. Amen.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Turn From Sin, Be Like Children

(1) About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Which of us is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?" (2) Jesus called a small child over to Him and put the child among them. (3) Then He said, "I assure you, unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. (4) Therefore, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. (5) And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on My behalf is welcoming Me. (6) But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in Me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck. -- Matthew 18:1-6 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

I recently heard a Nazarene minister from Haiti sharing an amazing testimony that was heard in the wake of the devastating earthquake of 2010. As a team from Nazarene Compassionate Ministries arrived to deliver food, shelter, and medical supplies in a certain village known for Voodoo, an amazing testimony came from the lips of none other than the village medicine man. Yes, with great passion, he turned his back on his own teachings by exclaiming for all to hear, "Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ could accomplish this!"

Isn't it amazing when medicine men are amazed by the Great Physician? For sure!

Mark 1:15 (NLT) -- Jesus announced, "The Kingdom of God is near! Turn from your sins and believe this Good News!"

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Turn & Believe

As the Lenten Season commences, there is one verse in particular that should be remembered over-and-over:

Mark 1:15 (NLT) -- "At last the time has come!" Jesus announced. "The Kingdom of God is near! Turn from your sins and believe this Good News!"

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

The Greatest Gift Exchange of All-Time

2 Corinthians 5:20b-21 from The Living Bible Paraphrase makes clear The Greatest Gift Exchange of All-Time:

...be reconciled to God. For God took the sinless Christ and poured into Him our sins. Then, in exchange, He poured God’s goodness into us!

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV)

Thank you Lord, for taking our undeniable guilt and giving us Your indescibable Gift.

ALL... JOY TO YOUR WORLD!
Grateful