"The Story of Grace!"

    A Fathers Son was brutally murdered by one of the must vicious and sadistic persons in the world. (Here are 5 endings to the story, you pick)!

1) The Father goes and gets a gun and shots the murderer dead in the streets. (This is Revenge)

2) The Father helps the authorities track down, convict and sentence the murderer to death by electrocution. (This is Justice) 

3) The Father helps the authorities track down and convict but before the judge passes down the verdict, the Father asks the judge to lighten the sentence to life in prison, with no parole, so he does. (This is Mercy)

4)The Father helps the authorities track down the murderer but before the trial the Father asks to talk with the judge privately. The Father tells the judge he wants to forgive the murderer, and drop ALL charges on the murderer and let him walk free. The judge allows the murderer to walk free!   (This is Forgiveness)

5) The Father helps the authorities track down the murderer but before the trial the Father asks to talk with the judge privately. The Father tells the judge he wants to forgive the murderer, drop ALL charges on the murderer, adopt the murderer into His family, take care of the murderer and live in His custody the rest of the murders life.  The judge agrees!  (This is Grace)

Which would you do if you were in the Fathers shoes?

 If you are saved and reading this you were NO different from the vicious and sadistic murderer before God provided you with His grace through His Son Christ Jesus! 

"Nobody is born into this world a child of the family of God. We are born as children of wrath. The only way we enter into the family of God is by adoption, and that adoption occurs when we are united to God’s only begotten Son by faith. When by faith we are united with Christ, we are then adopted into that family of whom Christ is the firstborn."~R.C. Sproul

Dad Passed this story on to me, Now I am to you!

The story of Grace!

David A. Baker Sr.

  A Fathers Son was brutally murdered by one of the must vicious and sadistic persons in the world. 

(Here are 5 endings to the story you pick)!

1) The Father goes and gets a gun and shots the murderer dead in the streets. (That's Revenge) 

2) The Father helps the authorities track down, convict and sentence the murderer to death by electrocution. (That's Justice)

3) The Father helps the authorities track down and convict but before the judge passes down the verdict, the Father asks the judge to lighten the sentence to life in prison, with no parole, so he does. (That's Mercy)

 4)The Father helps the authorities track down the murderer but before the trial the Father asks to talk with the judge privately. The Father tells the judge he wants to forgive the murderer, and drop ALL charges on the murderer and let him walk free. The judge allows the murderer to walk free!   (That's Forgiveness)

5) The Father helps the authorities track down the murderer but before the trial the Father asks to talk with the judge privately. The Father tells the judge he wants to forgive the murderer, drop ALL charges on the murderer, have the murderer move into His house, take care of the murderer and live in His custody the rest of the murders life.  The judge agrees!  (That's Grace)

 

  Which would you do if you were in the Fathers shoes?

   If you are saved and reading this, you were NO different from the vicious and sadistic murderer before

God provided you with His grace through His Son Christ Jesus!

   This Story my dad passed alone to me and know I am going to pass it on to you. Continue to pass if you wish!

Happy Father's Day!

Good Friday - What is it?

   Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday, and is traditionally celebrated as the day Jesus died on the cross. Although we don’t know for sure that Friday was the day Jesus was crucified (there are many arguments that it may also have been a Thursday or even a Wednesday), this day was chosen as a remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice for us.

   Protestants across denominations usually observe the day with solemn services consisting of hymns, Scripture readings, prayer, and retelling of Christ’s death on the cross. Some families choose to have a quiet service of remembrance at home. God does not require us to celebrate Good Friday, but it can be a spiritually enriching experience as we remember the pain Jesus went through both before and during His crucifixion. It can also be a preparation for the joy that comes when we celebrate Easter—the day of Jesus’ resurrection—on Sunday.

   If Good Friday is such a solemn occasion, then why do we refer to it as “good”? Although there was technically nothing good about the day Jesus suffered and died for us, the outcome certainly is! It was the day Jesus became the perfect, sacrificial Lamb who shed His blood for the remission of our sins (Romans 5:8; 6:23; 1 Peter 3:18). This was the greatest act of love known to man—God the Father sent His Son, Jesus, to die in our place. And because of Jesus’ Sunday morning resurrection, those who place their trust in Him believe in a living Savior who will one day return to claim His own (John 14:1–3).

   Even if we choose not to celebrate on Good Friday, we should always have Jesus’ death and resurrection on our minds and hearts. We can commemorate this throughout the year with prayers of thanksgiving and by celebrating the Lord’s Supper, which Jesus commanded His followers to do in order to “proclaim [His] death until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26).

A brief visual reminder and great song of this day and its importance!

Merry Christmas, "The True Reason"

   I wanted to take a minute to wish each of you a "Merry Christmas" and share with you a few of my favorite treats of this Holiday! With all the hustle and bustle we sometimes forget the the real reason of Christmas. Here is my favorite song to as a reminder of the true reason,  "O Holy Night"!  God Bless you all!

Luke 2: ⁶ So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

¹⁵ So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷ Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. ¹⁸ And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

How will Jesus come the second time?

   How will Jesus one day return to earth when He comes back to the Mt. of Olives at His second coming? Lets turn to scripture and see. Acts 1: 9-11 answers this for us: "Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” It appears that when Jesus returns for His children, He will return on the clouds. This is for those that are saved (in Christ Jesus).
    There is another return of Christ, this time spoken of in Revelation 19:11-14. This time the Heavens will open up and Christ is seen setting on a White horse. This is event is different then the rapture, this time Christ is coming to set up His kingdom, that He has promised. There will be an army following Him made up of His church, OT believers and even angles. On this return Christ is bringing "judgment and war", the Holy wrath of God will be poured out on all of sinful mankind that did not except the salvation He offered through His son Jesus. He will destroy all sin and corruption that is left on the earth, so His perfect and eternal Kingdom can be set up.
     A song that I have listen to and sang in the past keeps coming back to me over the past few months. A song that has lots of truth in it, a "Christian" song. But God's word tells us that a little leave will spoil the whole batch (Gal. 5:9). The song is call "Make way for the King", by Lenny Leblanc, the song towards the end sings like this. "Make Way for the King, Cause He's Comin' on a white horse to carry me home." An example of why we need to do as James said and test everything or like the Bereans in Acts 17:11. Jesus isn't coming on a White Horse for His children, His redeemed. He is coming on a white horse because God patience will be gone with all the rebellious, sinful, corruption that mankind has become! Christ is coming on the white horse of Judgment and His followers will be right behind Him.

"Jesus will come bathed in radiant splendor, enveloped within an atmosphere of indescribable brilliance, surrounded by the ear-piercing praise of angels and saints. Scintillating light shining from His eyes. Irresistible power pouring from His hands. None will deny His beauty or escape its transforming energy." ~ Sam Storms


Linked With:
Teach Me Tuesday 
Here it on Sunday, Use it on Monday
His Grip 

"Understanding of God's Divine Providence"

  Understanding of God's Divine Providence helps us understand the teaching of "predestination,  justification, sanctification, glorification, perseverance of the saints, ect.)  In my study of this I found that gotquestions.org had a very good teaching and summary on this subject. So instead of me muttering on, I will use it and give them the credit, lol!

  So what is “divine providence?" Divine providence is the means by and through which God governs all things in the universe. The doctrine of divine providence asserts that God is in complete control of all things. This includes the universe as a whole (Psalm 103:19), the physical world (Matthew 5:45), the affairs of nations (Psalm 66:7), human birth and destiny (Galatians 1:15), human successes and failures (Luke 1:52), and the protection of His people (Psalm 4:8). This doctrine stands in direct opposition to the idea that the universe is governed by chance or fate.
   The purpose, or goal, of divine providence is to accomplish the will of God. To ensure that His purposes are fulfilled, God governs the affairs of men and works through the natural order of things. The laws of nature are nothing more than a depiction of God at work in the universe. The laws of nature have no inherent power, nor do they work independently. The laws of nature are the rules and principles that God set in place to govern how things work.
   The same goes for human choice. In a very real sense we are not free to choose or act apart from God’s will. Everything we do and everything we choose is in full accordance to God’s will—even our sinful choices (Genesis 50:20). The bottom line is that God controls our choices and actions (Genesis 45:5; Deuteronomy 8:18; Proverbs 21:1), yet He does so in such a way that does not violate our responsibility as free moral agents, nor does it negate the reality of our choice.
   The doctrine of divine providence can be succinctly summarized this way: “God in eternity past, in the counsel of His own will, ordained everything that will happen; yet in no sense is God the author of sin; nor is human responsibility removed.” The primary means by which God accomplishes His will is through secondary causes (e.g., laws of nature, human choice). In other words, God works indirectly through these secondary causes to accomplish His will.
  

"The mission of the Son of man"

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10

Suggested Further Reading: Luke 15:1-7

It is strange what unusual places Christ finds some of his people in! I knew one of Christ’s sheep who was found out by his Master while committing robbery. I knew another who was found out by Christ, while he was spiting his old mother by reading the Sunday newspaper and making fun of her. Many have been found by Jesus Christ, even in the midst of sin and vanity. I knew a preacher of the gospel who was converted in a theatre. He was listening to a play, an old-fashioned piece, that ended with a sailor drinking a glass of gin before he was hung, and he said, “Here’s to the prosperity of the British nation, and the salvation of my immortal soul;” and down went the curtain; and down went my friend too, for he ran home with all his might. Those words, “The salvation of my immortal soul,” had struck him to the quick; and he sought the Lord Jesus in his chamber. Many a day he sought him, and at last he found him to his joy and confidence. But for the most part Christ finds his people in his own house; but he finds them often in the worst of tempers, in the most hardened conditions; and he softens their hearts, awakens their consciences, subdues their pride, and takes them to himself; but they would never come to him unless he came to them. Sheep go astray, but they do not come back again by themselves. Ask the shepherd whether his sheep come back, and he will tell you, “No, sir; they will wander, but they never return.” When you find a sheep that ever came back by himself, then you may hope to find a sinner that will come to Christ by himself. No; it must be sovereign grace that must seek the sinner and bring him home.

For meditation: We all like sheep have gone astray; we have all gone our own way (Isaiah 53:6); we have all ended up like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36). The Lord Jesus Christ is the great shepherd (Hebrews 13:20), the good shepherd (John 10:11,14) and the giving shepherd who gave his life for his sheep (John 10:11) and who gives eternal life to his sheep (John 10:28). Have you been found by him and returned to him (1 Peter 2:25)?

Sermon no. 204365  from sermons preached by Charles  H. Spurgeon on 11 July (1858)

Linked with:
Twelve Days of Christmas,
Teach Me Tuesday
Sharing His Beauty
Barn Hop #70
Hear It on Sunday, Use it on Monday
The Garden Showcase 

Glorification, God's Finished Wok!

God's finished work, Glorification.

   Glorification is God's final removal of sin from the life of those who have excepted the precious gift of eternal life. This comes in the eternal state (Romans 8:18, 2Corinthians 4:17). When looking at glorification, as Christians we should focus on Christ, for He is our blessed hope (Romans 5:2). Consider final glorification as reaching the highest point of sanctification. Until Christ returns we are burdened with sin, for our final glorification we have to wait on the return of our Savior Jesus Christ, (Titus 2:13, 1 Tim. 6:14, 1 Corn. 13:12). Each day that we wait on His return we should work hard by the Holy Spirit to put to death what is sinful and worldly in us (Romans 8:13). Only through prayer, the study of God's Word and direction of the Holy Spirit can we do this.

   When and how will this happen? 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 says " Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality."  So at the last trumpet, when Jesus comes for the saved (saints) an instant transformation will take place, at this time our sinful, decaying bodies will put on a body that is perfect and without sin ( 2 Corn. 3:18). To be glorified is another way of saying the believer will be "conformed" to the character of Christ which is God’s ultimate purpose for the Christian. No longer will the Christian "fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

   Jesus prayed in John 17, to sanctify us (make us holy) in the truth of His Word, This is necessary if we want to be with Jesus in eternal fellowship. Verse 24 says, “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world." If the glorification of the saints follows the pattern revealed in Scripture, it must entail our sharing in the glory (the holiness) of God. We will be perfectly conformed to the image of our Lord Jesus and be like Him free from sin and its consequences (1 John 3:2, Phill. 3:20-21).

   Philippians 1:6. “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”  So when the devil tries to make you question and doubt your being a "chosen vessel" of God's, just remember God is still working on you, working towards the final part of our salvation. God is in the process of perfecting us for that final day when Jesus returns for us,(His bride).

References: Mathew Henry Commentaries; The Holy Bible; Baker's Evangelical Dictionary

By: Clint Baker


Linked With:
Teach Me Tuesday
Sharing His Beauty
Hear it on Sunday, Use it on Monday
On, In and Around Mondays
Barn Hop 67 

Explaination of Election

  I have always been asked do I believe that God chose some for salvation and some not. Well, this short explanation is a very good Bible teaching that explains it. By know means am I trying to change your belief that you have. All I am doing is answering a question that has been asked by many, I would do it myself but he does it so well. Please take the short time needed to hear and understand what being "Chosen" or "Elected" really means with scripture. Remember Scripture always backs up scripture!

  Here is the Part 2 to "Sovereign election": Renewing your mind with Dr. R.C. Sprouls. Again, just listen and give it a good study for yourselves. Many have debated this for centuries but this makes the most since to me. And I would like to add, I didn't grow up believing this way but after truly studying the scriptures for myself and allowing the Holy Spirit to show me, I stated to really understand scripture!

Romans 9: ¹⁴ What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! ¹⁵ For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” ¹⁶ So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. ¹⁷ For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” ¹⁸ Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.

¹⁹ You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” ²⁰ But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” ²¹ Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

²² What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, ²³ and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, ²⁴ even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, ⁵ having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 



Linked With:
Wisdom Wednesday 
Tueday Blog Hop 
Hear It on Sunday, Ues it on Monday 
WWL 
EOA Link Up 
Wisdom Wednesday 

"One To Die For"

 When Jesus was raised up high on the cross, "Jacobs Ladder" was risen. When Jesus rose from the tomb, the bridge between God and sinful man was built! We know have access to our Holy God!

 We have to remember that Christianity begins where all the religions of the world end, at death, and it starts with resurrection Of our Savior Jesus Christ and the Resurrection of ourselves one day! No other religion has proof that the God that they follow is "Alive" and in control of our daily walk! No other religion can say they can have a personal, one on one relationship with their Lord and Savior. 

   "If the Resurrection is not historic fact, then the power of death remains unbroken, and with it the effect of sin; and the significance of Christ's Death remains uncertified, and accordingly believers are yet in their sins, precisely where they were before they heard of Jesus' name." C.H. Spurgeon

   I heard some one say one time, "There are many good religions in the world to live by but there is only one that i would want to DIE by".  
  C.H. Spurgeon once said " Upon a life I did not live, upon a death I did not die, I risk my whole eternity on the resurrection".  

   

 Question to think on: 
  Jesus died for you, will you die to self for Him? Would you give your physical life for Him?

The basic truth of the resurrection under-girds a number of other truths.

1.    It gives evidence that the Word of God is totally true and reliable. Jesus precisely when and in the way He had predicted (see Mt. 12:40; 16:21; 17:9, 23).

2.    The resurrection means that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, as He claimed to be, and that He has power over life and death.

3.    The resurrection proves that salvation is complete, that on the cross Christ conquered sin, death, and hell and rose victorious.

4.    The resurrection proves that the church has been established. Jesus had declared, "I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it" (Mt. 16:8)... His resurrection proved that death itself could not prevent Christ from establishing His church.

5.    The resurrection proves that judgment is coming. Jesus declared that the heavenly Father "has given all judgment to the Son" (Jn. 5:22), and since the Son is now risen and alive, His judgment is certain.

6.    The resurrection of Jesus Christ proves that heaven is waiting. Jesus promised, "In My house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you" (Jn. 14:2). Because Christ is alive by the resurrection, believers have the assurance that He is now preparing a heavenly dwelling for them.

John MacArthur

"Unlocking The Lock"

Do you have eternal life or conditional life?

Ephesians 1:13-14 says "In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory."  

Philippians 1:6 says "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;"

   The understanding of eternal security really comes from understanding the unique and special love that God has for His children. Romans 8:28-39 tells us that 1) no one can bring a charge against God’s elect; 2) nothing can separate the elect from the love of Christ; 3) God makes everything work together for the good of the elect; and 4) all whom God saves will be glorified. God loves His children (the elect) so much that nothing can separate them from Him. Of course this same truth is seen in many other passages of Scripture as well (these four points came from). In John 10:27-30, Jesus says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one." Again, in John 6:37-47, we see Jesus stating that everyone that the Father gives to the Son will come to Him and He will raise all of them up at the last day. John 5:24 say "“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life."  Eternal life here  is not something you receive in the future but something you receive at the time you believe. If salvation trough Jesus Christ isn't eternal then its not eternal life, Jesus promises you eternal life. A promise of eternal life is not conditional life.

Join His Flock

   Eternal security does NOT give us a license to go out sin and do whatever we want.(1 John 2:3-4,Romans 8:29-30,2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 Corinthians 6:11) These are a few scriptures that tell you that.

   If someone is truly saved, he or she has been made alive by the Holy Spirit and has a new heart with new desires. There is no way that one that has been “born again” can later be “unborn.” Because of His unique love for His children, God will keep all of His children safe from harm, and Jesus has promised that He would lose none of His sheep.
  The doctrine of eternal security or also called "the perseverance of the saints" recognizes that true Christians will always persevered and are eternally secure because God keeps them that way. It is based on the fact that Jesus, the “author and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2), is able to completely save those whom the Father has given Him (Hebrews 7:25) and to keep them saved through all eternity.

  Why would God graciously offer up a free gift of salvation but make it conditional? A conditional salvation doesn't fit the eternal salvation plan of the Bible and it wouldn't be a free gift. That would be like me saying "I am gonna give you a free car as a gift, but you have to work of the price of the car for me". That wouldn't be a free gift from me, you would have earned it.

  "If one dear saint of God had perished, so might all; if one of the covenant ones be lost, so may all be; and then there is no gospel promise true, but the Bible is a lie, and there is nothing in it worth my acceptance. I will be an infidel at once when I can believe that a saint of God can ever fall finally. If God hath loved me once, then He will love me forever."

C.H. Spurgeon

Linked to:
Fresh From the Farm
Wisdom Wednesday
Wise Women Link Up

"From Start to Finish"

  My Pastor did this 30min study to help answer questions of  salvation. It starts at the beginning and takes us through our walk with Jesus. With Gods word he answers many questions that people have asked for a long time. Please take less then 30 minutes to listen. Click Here: "Salvation Start to Finish"! May God Bless you with His word!

1 Peter 1: ²⁰ "He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you ²¹ who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God."

Linked with:
Sunday Scavenger Hunt 
My Daily Walk in His Grace