Paid in Full
Agape Love 3:16
Paid in Full
Agape Love 3:16
What the bible says about......
Note: New posts follow after the first three posts listed here. These first three posts are too important to one's salvation not to appear before all other posts on this web site.
September 18, 2017
I just finished a salvation message on youtube. It is in four parts. The title is "Salvation...what it is, why you need it and how you can be saved."
Here are the links...
I hope you find the answers you are seeking!
"You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13
August 10, 2017
Just a little information for those truly seeking the Truth.
If you are truly interested in the Truth, then you will welcome the "homework" I now present to you. There are former atheists who set their feet upon a path to DISPROVE the Bible...but what they discovered, through diligence and perseverance, was the Truth of the Bible and of God/Jesus. These highly educated men are the following:
1.Josh Mac Dowell - author of the Book/DVD "more evidence that demands a Verdict".
2. Lee STrobel - author of the Book/DVD "The case for Christ", "The Case for Faith" and "The Case for a Creator".
3.David Limbaugh - author of the book "Jesus on Trial".
All three men are attorneys and Lee Strobel is likewise an investigative reporter. Their training and expertise is in HOW to uncover the TRUTH about any subject. Another former atheist is 4.Detective J. Warner Wallace - author of "Cold Case Christianity". He likewise uncovered the truth about Christ and about the reliability of the Bible by exercising his skill of many years as a homicide detective, after which, he concluded that the Bible was true and Jesus is exactly Who He claims to be.
There is one more resource...
5.Neil R. LIghtfoot - author of "How we got the Bible". It details the origins and the reliability of the Word of God.
Please check into these sources...God bless you on this journey. :)
Time is short. Seek Him now, while there is yet time.
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." Matthew 7:7-8
November 26, 2018
I've heard many say, "all you need to do is be a GOOD PERSON and keep the COMMANDMENTS to go to heaven". But God's standard of "goodness" is perfection. This means that even one "little" sin will prevent us from entrance into heaven. Given this, even by man's standard of "goodness", we all fail. And if we are honest, we have all broken many if not all of the Commandments.
The Bible says the road to hell is "wide" but the road to heaven is "narrow" (Matt 7:13). And according to Ephesians 2:8-9, there is NOTHING we can DO to EARN salvation. So, as the people who were with Jesus asked, "Who can be saved"? (Luke 18:26)
Do you know what Jesus' answer was to this question?
Jesus said, "What is IMPOSSIBLE WITH MAN, is possible with God." (Luke 18:27)
From the mouth of God Himself....it is IMPOSSIBLE for us to save ourselves! So, the question remains; HOW can we be saved and enter heaven?
The answer is ONLY JESUS SAVES (this is the "possible with God" portion of His statement). :)
"Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven given among men, whereby we MUST BE SAVED." Acts 4:12
Jesus said, "I AM the way, the truth and the life; NO ONE comes to the Father EXCEPT THROUGH ME". John 14:6
Ask Jesus into your heart, repent of your sins, make Him your Lord and you will be saved!
"For God so loved the world that He gave His Only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16
October 25, 2018
Jesus freed a man possessed of demons. (Luke 8:26-39) Afterward, Jesus told the man "Return to your own house and tell what great things GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU." And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things JESUS HAD DONE for him." Luke 8:39
Did you catch that? ... Jesus = God
July 29, 2017
Why do you refer to the Pre Tribulation Rapture as a "lie"? There are many passages that support it such as Rev 3:10...God promises to KEEP us FROM the hour of trial that shall come upon the whole earth, not THROUGH this hour. And with regard to the "last trumpet"...the "last trumpet" of Rev 11 is sounded by the seventh angel. After this, more terrible judgments follow. However, in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 it is with the "Trumpet of God" that the church is called into the clouds. There are no judgments at this point, only a "rescue" of His bride. Before the rapture, life is as usual...people "marrying and given in marriage". There are NO judgments being disbursed by God upon the planet or on mankind. However, prior to the Trumpet judgments in the book of Revelation, there are terrible judgments being delivered by the hand of God, beginning with the Seal Judgments of Rev 6. So, indeed, the rapture will occur prior to the Tribulation. One more reason we can be sure the rapture CANNOT take place AFTER the Tribulation is simple...after the rapture, Christians receive their glorified bodies...we will be as He is. And these glorified bodies CANNOT procreate/reproduce. However, after the return of Christ, at the end of the Tribulation, He will rule and reign for 1,000 years, during which time those who received Christ during the Tribulation and endured THROUGH the Tribulation will live on during His millennial reign, reproducing and filling the earth once again. If all the saints were raptured at the END of the trib, then there would be NO ONE to repopulate the earth during Christ's millennial reign. Get it? Good stuff, Maynard!
July 29, 2017 The Trinity
Do you deny the existence of the Trinity? Can I share something with you? There is a very important piece of Truth that at present, you are denying. And if we deny one aspect of God, then we are guilty of denying every aspect of God. God indeed exists in the Persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If you doubt, please check out Matthew 3:16-17...it is in this passage wherein you will actually see all THREE Persons of the Trinity, TOGETHER, AT THE SAME TIME...."When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Likewise, in 1 John 5:7 "There are THREE that bare witness in heaven; The Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are One." <3 <3
May 7, 2017 Treasure from Heaven #1;
Youtube video....Check it out!
May 6, 2017
Struggling with doubt? That's normal. Doubt is not to be feared. Rather it is to be looked at as an opportunity to dig more deeply into what you believe as a Christian and why.
Some may want to dig for the Truth but may not know where to begin...
I believe the best source of information on the Gospel truth is from FORMER ATHEISTS. These are the people who were so strongly against Christianity...these guys were not even RAISED in the faith...they were so convinced that it was just a "fairy tale"...some of them actually set out upon a path to DISPROVE the validity of the Bible and God. Guess what they discovered? They discovered that the Bible and God are real. And these people I'm referring to are not your ordinary "Joes"...these men are highly educated in UNCOVERING the FACTS.
Can I share with you the names of these former atheists? You've probably already heard of them.
David Limbaugh...attorney...wrote "Jesus on Trial". This book details the truth behind the existence of Jesus.
Lee Strobel....attorney/investigative journalist....wrote "The case for Christ", "The case for a Creator", "The case for faith", and "The case for the real Jesus". These are in book as well as in DVD formats.
Josh MacDowell...attorney....wrote "More evidence that demands a verdict"...in book and DVD.
J. Warner Wallace...wrote "Cold Case Christianity"....Book. This man is an Homicide Detective who utilized his experience and skills at uncovering the truth to discover the truth about Christ. In fact, all these men utilized their education and training to dig for the truth about God and about the Bible and found that they could no longer remain atheists.
GOT DOUBTS? Do your digging, as these men did. Why not start by reading or listening to their work? They were in a deeper place of unbelief and skepticism than you probably are. And yet, they did their "homework" in an earnest and diligent effort to discover the truth. They found the truth and now they are sharing it with the world....why? Because we need the truth. Too many live seemingly "logical" lives of doubt and skepticism....but God is so much "bigger" than we are ...who can possibly know the mind of God enough to pass judgment against Him?
"The fool has said in his heart, there is no God." Psalm 14:1
10/30/16
Wanna check out my most recent youtube video? It explains why we must be saved to get to heaven. Here is the link. Hope you enjoy! Jesus loves you! :)
10/30/16 TREASURE FROM HEAVEN
Today’s “Treasure from Heaven”…John 1:29-31
JESUS DECLARES HIMSELF GOD
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of Whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man Who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”
Did you notice? John says Jesus was “BEFORE” him. This references John the Baptist's witness of Jesus' identity as the eternal God. John was actually conceived by Elizabeth about six months PRIOR to Mary's conception of Jesus, making John OLDER than Jesus. And yet, John describes Jesus as having been "BEFORE me". We see the SAME reference to Jesus’ eternality in John 8:57-59, “Then the Jews said to Him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?’ ‘Truly, truly, I tell you,’ Jesus declared, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’ At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him.”
Abraham existed about 2,000 years before Christ. And YET, Jesus declares His divinity and says, “Before Abraham was born, I AM!” The Jews, recognizing Jesus’ claim to be God, picked up stones to kill Him with, because in their eyes, Jesus had blasphemed God by claiming to BE God. They did not know the Man they intended to stone was God incarnate.
Got questions? Just ask! :)
Email me at mamaluvsherbabes@aol.com and write in the subject line "Question from your website", so I don't accidentally delete your email. I'll read your email and respond as soon as I can (unless the Rapture happens, of course!).
God bless you! :)
WHERE DID ALL THE PEOPLE GO?! October 1, 2016
The Rapture of Christ’s church is soon to come upon the earth. Jesus will soon return for His “bride”, the church, for His born again believers. The world will lie to those who are left behind. The government will convince people it wasn’t God Who removed the multitudes of Christians but some other source…such as aliens or some fanciful goddess named Gaia, who removed much of the population…to “cleanse” the world of “hatred”, “bigotry” or “intolerance”. But this is a LIE. Quite the opposite will be true when Jesus raptures His church. This note is my effort to explain to those who will be left behind…the facts about the massive disappearances of loved ones, the resulting plane and car crashes, as well as the probably instantaneous job openings in your area! (Little humor there). All joking aside, what will occur is referred to as the Rapture of the church, as spoken of by Paul in
1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 and also in 1 Corinthians 5:52.
This Rapture involves Jesus taking His born again believers from this earth and bringing them home to heaven. Jesus will return at the end of the Tribulation and judge the world; those who received Him during the Tribulation will be saved; those who took the mark, as well as the devil, the antiChrist and the false prophet He will throw into the lake of fire. After the rapture takes place, the world will enter into the most challenging and violent time since the creation of mankind, a time the Bible refers to as the Tribulation; also referred to as “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble”. (Jacob refers to Israel)
The Tribulation will begin with a phony seven year “peace” treaty between Israel, her arab brothers and the man who will become known as the antiChrist. (Daniel 9:27) This treaty will be broken, however, half way into the Tribulation (3.5 years). At this mid-way point, what Jesus referred to as the “worst time in all human history” (paraphrased) (Matthew 24:21), not only does the antiChrist break the treaty with Israel, but the false prophet sets up an image of the antiChrist within the Jewish temple which will be built during the first part of the tribulation. This image will be given satanic power speak (Revelation 13:15-16). Those who refuse to worship this image of the antiChrist (and the antiChrist himself) will be killed. Those who take the mark of the beast (666…Revelation 13:18), will live until the end of the Tribulation, but at that point, Christ will return; those who took the mark will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15). But those who remained faithful to Him (Christ) will live eternity in heaven.
This is not an exhaustive study of the Rapture or of the Tribulation; it is merely an introduction to what is soon to come upon the earth. And it is a warning to those not living for Christ to reconsider their rejection of Him. Some say they “believe” in Christ, but have not submitted to Him…The Bible tells us “the devils believe and tremble” (James 2:19). To these I ask, how is YOUR faith any DIFFERENT?
The Bible is clear…without Jesus, we cannot see God. Jesus said, “I AM the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 Jesus also tells us that we must be “born again”, spiritually speaking, to be saved…to enter heaven. (John 3:3)Born again simply means we have asked Jesus into our hearts and have made Him the Lord over our lives.
The Bible also tells us that we CANNOT save ourselves.
Matthew 19:24-26 “"And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Acts 4:10-12 “"let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, e that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. "This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.' "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Bottom line, you need Jesus! He is faithful and just to FORGIVE every sin! (1 John 1:9) Your sin is not a surprise to Jesus…He planned to save you from the beginning of creation. This is why He came and died for your sins on the cross. (John 3:16). Because we can’t save ourselves, regardless of how good we may be, Jesus died. If we could save ourselves….if even one good deed could erase even one “little” sin, then Jesus would not have made this colossal sacrifice just for you.
But you must receive Him to be saved…to be forgiven. (John 1:12) Would you like to “escape all these things” (Luke 21:36) that are soon to come upon the earth? If the Tribulation has already begun at the time you are reading this, then it is essential that you receive Christ now…do not take the mark…do not swear allegiance to the antiChrist…stay faithful to Jesus and though you may be killed for your faith in Him, remember…this life and death are just “vapors”…they are short lived. But you have an eternity…and this is forever! God wants you to spend it with Him!
If you’re ready to make Jesus the Lord of your life and spend eternity with Him in Heaven, you may want to pray something simple like this….
“Dear Jesus, I know that I’m a sinner in need of Your forgiveness…Thank You for dying for my sins on the cross…Please forgive me and come into my heart. Help me to make You the Lord over my life. In Your name, Amen.”
Congratulations…you are a child of God!
Now, get into a good Bible believing Christian church…attend regularly… Read your Bible daily… Pray often! Draw close to Him and He will draw close to you! (James 4:8) Remember, regardless of circumstance, he will never leave you nor forsake you. (Isaiah 49:14-16) God bless and may you be led by the Holy Spirit.
9/30/16
This is a message about the very near rapture of Christ's church that I posted on facebook. I wanted to share it with anyone who would listen.
Where is wisdom???? It is nearly gone from this world. Many refuse to be reached with the truth...this is both frustrating and heart breaking because those with eyes to see and ears to hear know the times we are in...we see the signs both in the heavens and in the head lines of the daily newspaper...
What more can I say? What words haven't I spoken? What message have I neglected to adequately convey? It has to happen and you believe it will happen, just not in YOUR lifetime.......I must ask you, WHY NOT in your lifetime? Do you love this life so much that you'd prefer to remain in it, instead of be with God? Is that really what you want? Have you thought this from a logical perspective or from soley an emotional one? Not wanting something to occur will not change the course of events; God will not redirect His plans simply because you desire to ignore them. When has pretending something doesn't exist ever nullified its existence?
Christ is coming for His church, whether we are ready or not; whether it is convenient or not; regardless of the plans we have made. Our desires will not change His timing. Our prayers can influence Him...but there comes a time when He can postpone no more. Be ready....just in case....you don't want to be left behind when the rapture occurs.
1/10/16
Yes, it's true...2,000 years ago, they thought Jesus was to return. But they neglected to take into account the end time prophecies that must be fulfilled prior to His return. We know these are the end days because Jesus warned us that when Israel became a nation again, this would be the last generation before His return (Matthew 24). He also warned that the days prior to His return we would see people living as they did in Sodom and Gomorrah, as in the days of Noah with such a disregard for the things of God (Luke 17). Truly, we see these things today more than in any previous generation since Jesus walked the earth. Check out biblical prophecies if you want to know what time it is...we are so very close to His return. PLEASE get right with Him....you will truly regret not doing so.
Jesus said, "I AM the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father (gets to heaven) except through Me." John 14:6
6/14/15
Wanna see a beautiful video with Scripture that rightly praises God? The music is beautiful, too! Just click on this link and enjoy!
5/28/15
Wanna make Jesus the Lord of your life? It begins with a decision. I just made a youtube video that explains why you need a Savior and walks you through a prayer that asks Him into your heart. The video is less than two minutes long.
Check it out at this link... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toNT5JUePA4
11/2/14 BAPTISM vs BEING BORN AGAIN
Recently, a friend of mine made the statement "Getting baptized means we are born again". But this couldn't be further from the truth. Below is my response to her comment about needing to be baptized to be born again...her comment represents the faulty belief of many of us who have been misinformed about the bible truth concerning our salvation; something which only can be attained through Christ. Please read the two paragraphs below...it will help to explain and hopefully settle this issue.
You know, there are some things that we were taught growing up about baptism that are actually contrary to what God tells us in His Word. It wasn't until I began to study the bible that I realized the PURPOSE behind baptism AND what being born again really means.
Actually, being baptized is not what makes us born again. Read Galatians
2 and 3 and Ephesians 2:8-9. Nothing we DO, save our decision to receive Christ (and even then we can only come to Him when the Father draws us to Him...John 6:44) as Lord and Savior, can save us. Being born again refers to our SPIRIT being "reborn" through receiving Christ personally. John 1:12 tells us that we are merely God's creations until we receive Him personally and THEN become His children. Baptism is an outward action made by one who is already a born again believer....it is a public testiment of our inward faith that we put in Christ when we received Him, when we became born again. Logically, no one who is NOT born again will EVER consent to being baptized.....realistically, it's the one who has already BECOME born again, who THEN decides to be baptized.
Matthew 3:11 tells us "I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God..." Here's one more passage that demonstrates that before we are baptized, it is ESSENTIAL to be BORN AGAIN....because baptism is the outward acknowledgment of our salvation, made publicly.... "As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” [And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”] And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. " Acts 8:36-37
Does this make sense? Sometimes it's hard to UNlearn things we've accepted as truth our whole lives....but it's important to remain "teachable" to what the Spirit would have us learn.
12/10/13
Contrary to many Christian's opinion concerning the FIRST HALF of the TRIBULATION, it will NOT be marked by peace. Obviously, it's not called the "TRIBULATION" because it's "peaceful". The following excerp gives biblical reference attesting to this fact. (Retrieved from Lamb and Lion ministries.)
"So, to summarize, the Jews will live in peace during the first half of the Tribulation, but not the Gentile nations of the world. The wars of the Antichrist will devastate the world. One-fourth of humanity will die in the initial war (Revelation 6:8). That's 1.5 billion people in today's terms. According to Revelation 8 and 9, when the war resumes, one-third of those left alive will die (another 1.5 billion).
The first half of the Tribulation is going to be anything but a time of peace. It will, instead, be a time of unimaginable carnage, for one-half of humanity will die in the first 3 1/2 years!" http://lamblion.com/articles/articles_tribulation3.php
The time to "get right" with God is NOW! There really is not much time left before the things that Christ warned us about begin to occur. Ask Jesus into your heart, ask Him to forgive you, ask Him to be the Lord of your life and to bring salvation to you. If you are serious, then He will do these things for you and you will be a born again (John 3:3) child of God whose destination is heaven. In Jesus' own words, you can't get to heaven without Him, your goodness is simply not good enough.
(John 14:6, Ephesians 2:8-9)
Please do it now...you may not have tomorrow.
7/10/13
#1
In this earthly realm, a child born into a family is HEIR to his family's inheritance. But in God's kingdom, we must CHOOSE to be ADOPTED INTO His family in order to be considered an "heir" to His kingdom of heaven. (Ephesians 1:5 "he predestined us for adoption to sonship THROUGH Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will") Jesus says we must be "born again" spiritually; That is, we must CHOOSE Him to be Lord over our lives, if we want to enter heaven. (John 3:3 "Assuredly I say to you, unless one is BORN AGAIN, he will NOT see the kingdom of God.")
While we are God's CREATION, until we RECEIVE Christ personally as our Savior, realizing that we cannot earn our salvation as we can never ever meet GOD'S STANDARD of complete PERFECTION (Ephesians 2:8-9); until we RECEIVE Christ, we are merely God's creation; it is in RECEIVING Him personally, that we BECOME CHIILDREN OF GOD. ( John 1:12 "But as many as RECEIVED Him, to them He gave the RIGHT to become children of God"), and as such, heirs to His kingdom.
It is ONLY in making Christ the "Head Hauncho" of our lives, that we can ever hope to be forgiven; unless we are born again, we are NOT forgiven, and if not forgiven, we cannot enter heaven. (John 3:3; Romans 8:1 "there is now NO CONDEMNATION for THOSE who are IN CHRIST JESUS"). In other words, there is NO SALVATION in ANY OTHER NAME but JESUS! (Acts 4:12)
God is CRAZY for you! (John 3:16) But if you live your life apart from His will, living according to your own standards of righteousness, which the bible refers to as "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6), then you have chosen to die unforgiven, rejecting Christ as Lord of your life.
God loves you DEARLY (Romans 1:7), this is why He died for your sins! (John 3:16)
But He loves you too much to FORCE you to love Him in return. He will not force you to spend eternity with Him, against your will.
Please don't break His heart! He cries when someone who has rejected Him dies because He knows they will spend eternity in hell.
"Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? says the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?"—Ezekiel 18:23.
"For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies, says the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye."—Ezekiel 18:32.
Please receive Christ today....you may not have tomorrow.
#2
Know what? As nice as one might be, we simply FAIL to meet God's standard of perfection. This is why we NEED Jesus! We cannot make it to heaven without Him!
"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:" Romans 8:3 (The "law" is the ten commandments...we simply are not equipped to "keep the law"....we fall every time! "For ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALLEN SHORT OF GOD'S GLORY" Romans 3:23)
DO YOU RECOGNIZE YOUR NEED FOR JESUS, THE SAVIOR?
June 11, 2013
This is what we sorely need, America!!! God is patient but He is also a God of justice. His love is begging that there be an awakening to His will before His justice demands a verdict of guilt be delivered and a sentence/consequence carried out. If you truly love God, you will not forsake Him. Remember, it is NOT by MAN'S standard that He will judge but by His Own which requires perfection. Are you perfect? If not, perhaps you need Jesus. "There is NO other name under heaven by which we MUST be saved." Acts 4:12
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14
February 21, 2013
In Ephesians 2:8-9 we learn that it is "not by works, lest anyone should boast" that we receive our salvation. If we could save ourselves then Jesus would not have had to die so horribly on the cross. In Acts 4:12 God tells us that "There is no other name under heaven by which we MUST be saved"...referring to Jesus. Not one of our own names is listed under Acts 4:12 and not one of us hung on the cross with Jesus that brought us salvation. HE alone is Savior and He died that men might be freed from the bondage of sin. He does not require our assistance in salvation. And woe to anyone who feels qualified to give assistance to God in such an endeavor. Man cannot rob God of the glory which belongs to only Him. What a prideful generation we would be to believe that sinful man were required or even qualified to assist the ALL-Mighty in the work of the cross upon which only HE was qualified to hang for the forgiveness and ultimate salvation of all mankind. Our works cannot bring salvation as not one good deed can cancel or nullify even one sin. BUT our good works are the external manifestation of our inward faith. IF we love God, we will live our life in service to Him. We are saved by His grace alone and not by works, lest anyone boast. And it is our works, by which others SEE the fruit of teh Spirit working in and through us. As Jesus says, "they will know you are My followers by your fruit/love" (paraphrased). Our works honor God but they cannot save us. Only Jesus saves
November 5, 2012
When we falsely believe that our salvation rests on our ability to "earn" our way to heaven, we not only take on the weight of the world, as it is impossible to erase our sins with any amount of good deeds, but we also rob God of the glory which only belongs to Him. When we make ourselves the focus of our salvation, then we elevate ourselves to the level of God Himself. Who are we to judge whether our efforts are worthy? Who are we to judge our sin as minimal? God is a God of mercy, but He is also a God of justice. Do you really want justice for your sins? He grants mercy (forgiveness) to only those who have received Him as their Savior. Only then are we considered "children" of God. Until you are His child, you are only His creation.....
"But as many as RECEIVED Him, to them He gave the power to become the sons of God, to them that believe on His name which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God." John 1:12-13
October 12, 2012
Why do we need a Savior? Why did Jesus say in John 3:3 that "unless one is born again, he CANNOT see the kingdom of God"? Let me answer this with another question...ARE YOU PERFECT? Of course you're not! THIS is why YOU need Jesus. If God's standard is PERFECTION, and it is, how do you expect to enter Heaven? Your good works? The bible says your good deeds are just like "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6)... and that your salvation is "not of works, lest anyone boast" (Eph 2:8-9) Face it...YOU'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH. And no amount of good deeds will undo your sin. This is why Jesus HAD TO DIE ON YOUR BEHALF. God is a merciful God but He is also a God of JUSTICE. And if you received justice for your sins (even one sin will keep you from heaven), then you'd go to hell. Do you want justice or mercy? God will give mercy ONLY to those who RECEIVE His Son. Until you are born again, you are only God's creation. You MUST be a born again child of God to be saved. (John 1:12) Otherwise, you are merely a stranger to God. Think about it, would you let a STRANGER into your home? Do you really think God is any different? ♥
August 19, 2012
Listen, I KNOW you're a GOOD person....but don't you see? Unless you are a child of God, you have no future with Him!
There is only ONE WAY to become God's kid....you MUST be born again spiritually (John 3:3), that is, you MUST accept Christ into your heart as your Savior and God...aka: REDEEMED. If you don't believe me, take a second and PLEASE just read what the bible says about this below.... ... ♥
"But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. " Galatians 4:4-7
April 15, 2012
Here is a story that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I wrote. It is called, "Sarah". Please read that you might understand what the bible says about salvation.
Sarah
"Sarah was such a nice person" Peter said to the Lord. "Yes, she was", Jesus agreed. In the distance, a faint figure of a woman was seen, slowly approaching the Lord.
"Hello, Sarah", the Lord said.
"Oh wow" said Sarah, "It's YOU!"
"Yes" Jesus responded.
"Well, I'm so glad to meet you...ah?..."
"Jesus" the Lord said, completing her sentence.
"Oh, yes, Jesus. So, I"m sure You want an account of all the GOOD THINGS I did while I lived on earth?"
"Well..." Jesus began but Sarah interrupted, "Ok, well, I visited the prisoners in jail every week for the past thirty years....I gave hundreds of dollars every year to feed the poor....oh, and I took in a few stray cats and dogs...I never cheated on my husband and I kept the commandments!"
"The Ten Commandments? Are you sure?" Jesus asked.
Sarah began to feel a bit uneasy. "Well, I wasn't PERFECT, but no body's perfect, right?" Sarah said. Jesus replied, "You're right there, Sarah, NO one is perfect...and My standard IS one of perfection". Sarah became a bit more nervous at the Lord's statement. Feeling the need to PROVE her worthiness to enter heaven, Sarah approached the Lord, much like an attorney in a court of law;
"Lord, let's look at the commandments, shall we?" Patiently, the Lord agreed. Sarah continued, "From my Sunday School days, I remember some of them. One of the commandments tells us not to lie, right?"
"Yes, that's true" Jesus said.
"Well, I only told little white lies...You know, to protect people's feelings..."
Jesus said, "I understand but ...." Again, Sarah nervously interrupted, "and I know there's another commandment that tells us not to steal and one that says not to murder; oh, and one that tells us not to commit adultery....how am I doing so far?"
Jesus says, "Well, I..."
But once again, Sarah interrupts, "and I NEVER took Your name in vain, Lord".
"Sarah", the Lord begins, "I created you for a purpose; your purpose was tolove the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength. (Mark 12:28-30) I wanted to use you,to further My kingdom on earth but you ran from Me every time I tried to contact you."
Sarah asks, "Lord, when did You try to contact me?"
The Lord responds, "Do you remember your neighbor, Beth? She used to try to talk to you about Me...but you interrupted her, much the way you have continually interrupted Me now."
Sarah replies, "oh, You mean YOU sent Beth to talk to me?"
Jesus continues, "and I sent your brother to you, over and over, through the many years..but you wouldn't listen to him, either..Sarah, you broke his heart."
"Yes, I remember" Sarah admits solemnly.
"And Sarah" Jesus continues, "I spoke to your heart directly" Sarah admits, "yes, I felt the tug on my heart...but I just wasn't ready to give up certain things in my life yet."
"Sarah," Jesus continues, I sent My Word to you, but you REJECTED it; instead you believed the lie of the enemy, referring to My Holy and inerrant Word as something manufactured by 'old men', calling it 'outdated'. But Sarah,My Word is TRUTH(John 17:17)and truth does not change. Sarah,blessed are those who hear the word of God, and observe it." (Luke 11:28), but as I said, you did NOT hear, nor did you observe My word. " Sarah interjected, "But, Lord, the commandments..."
Jesus says to her, "Yes, let's look more deeply at the Ten Commandments. Sarah, you never strayed physically from your husband, but you lusted after other men. I have said in my Word that anyone who looks at another person lustfully has already committed adultery with that person in their heart. (Matt 5:28). You did not physically murder anyone, but you have hated.Anyone who hates is guilty of murder (1 John 3:15) Sarah, you said you never took My name in vain, but I tell you the truth, any time you MISUSED My name, any time you used My name to express disgust, you took My name in vain. And Sarah, do you remember what the first commandment is?" Sarah struggled but could not remember.
Jesus responded, "that's right, Sarah, you have forsaken Me; you have held so many of the good things I blessed you with in life in higher esteem than you did Me; your house, your family, your job...Sarah, you even placed those STRAYS in greater importance than you ever gave to Me. In reality, you have had other gods before Me; Sarah, you are guilty of IDOLATRY."
"Idolatry!?" Sarah exclaimed.
Jesus explained, "Sarah, anything of greater value to you than God, IS your god."
Sarah was quiet.
Jesus began..."I'm sorry, Sarah, but..."
Sarah quickly interjected, "But what about all those GOOD THINGS I DID?!"
"Sarah", Jesus said with a cry in His voice, "your righteousness is like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). The good you did could never UNDO the sins you committed. Even one, small sin, one tiny white lie, will disqualify you from inheriting the kingdom of God. Sarah, if it were possible for you to work your way into My kingdom, do you really think I would have WILLINGLY gone to the cross? They BEAT me for you, they SCOURGED me for you, they SPAT in My face and MOCKED me. They even STRIPPED Me and CRUCIFIED me NAKED on a cross between two criminals! I was completely HUMILIATED and was SCARED to death! " Jesus takes a breath and calmly continues. "But, if I had to, I'd do it all again for you."
Sarah was quietly pondering the magnitude of all the Lord was telling her. Jesus then continued, "Sarah, I died for your sins because God the Father is a God of JUSTICE; payment HAD to be made for the sins of mankind. But there was only ONE righteous, only ONE so completely UNBLEMISHED individual WORTHY to become the Lamb of God, to make that payment for the world; there is only One qualified to be the Savior of the world. Your good deeds, though they were many, are not sufficient to bring you to salvation because of your sin." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
At this point, Jesus begins to weep.
"Lord, why are You weeping?" Sarah asks.
"Because in rejecting Me, you have rejected righteousness; and in rejecting righteousness, you have embraced corruption. Sarah, there can be no corruption in My holy kingdom." Jesus wipes the tears from His eyes. "Sarah, on the cross, I made a legal exchange with God the Father; YOUR sin for MY righteousness. But, I gave you the freedom to choose or to reject Me. " Jesus tells her.
Sarah begins to cry desperately. "But Lord! If what You say is true, You should have FORCED me to follow You!"
"Sarah" Jesus continues solemnly , "I loved you too much to force you to love Me; this is why I gave you the freedom to choose."
At that point, Sarah disappears into the fire below,where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:42)
Just then, Peter approaches Jesus. "Lord, William is here to ..." Jesus lays His hand upon Peter's shoulder and with tears streaming down His face, sadly says, "I know....another one....."
LMC-P
(Linda Casablanca-Potter)
April 10, 2012
It's all about RELATIONSHIP. Have you ever wondered how a child completely void of one family's bloodline could be considered a family member of that family? That's due to the all important fact that being part of one's family has little to do with the sharing of one's genetic code; after all, there are many who share bloodlines, who were even born of the same womb, yet are not family. It's all about RELATIONSHIP. Being part of God's family is NO DIFFERENT. Being a child of God is NOT something you are born into. Being a child of God is completely dependent upon RELATIONSHIP with God. Until a relationship exists between you and your Creator, you are merely His CREATION. According to John 1:12-13, you must RECEIVE Him, personally to be part of God's family; "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." As you can see, it's all about RELATIONSHIP. ♥
March 10, 2012
Taking the gloves off...all political correctness aside. I care too much to do otherwise. Time is short.
The truth has been ignored for far too long. You simply cannot earn your way to heaven. God tells us in Ephesians 2:8-9 "by grace you are saved, through faith, not of works, lest anyone should boast". God sees your good deeds as "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). As wonderful as good works are, they simply DO NOT ERASE SIN! If they could, then Jesus would not have had to DIE for you. Think about it. If you could earn your way to heaven, then why did Jesus die?
God is not a liar. Jesus said you must be "born again" to enter heaven. (John 3:3). To be born again, Christ must be the most important "thing" in your life. If He's not, then you are guilty of breaking the first commandment, "thou shall have no other gods before Me."
God will judge you by HIS standard, NOT YOURS.....so just WHOSE standard of righteousness are you living by???? You cannot call yourself a Christian if you have not made Christ the center of your life. God's standard is one of perfection. Can you possibly be perfect??? You need Christ to cover your sins for you.
Remember, good works DO NOT ERASE SIN. Even ONE "little" sin will disqualify you from heaven.
False religions such as Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Islam and Eastern religions do NOT believe in the God of the bible. Such religions preach a different Jesus than He Whom we find in the inerrant Word of God. Believing in a different god, other than He Whom is revealed in the bible, makes one guilty of giving false gods greater importance than the One True God. Such will NOT inherit the kingdom of God.
Please, know that Jesus loved you so much that He willingly died for your sins on the cross. Know that God is not a liar. Unless you are born again, you will not see the kingdom of God.
November 22, 2011
The bible predicts the emergence of a one world government and a one world religion.
Please take a moment and view the following site regarding this phenomenon that is happening at this point in time, specifically regarding a one world religion.Note: The following link/web site is in no way associated with agapelove316.com.
http://www.sidroth.org/site/News2?abbr=tv_&page=NewsArticle&id=10665
November 5, 2011
Did you know?
Did you know that God is so pure that He cannot even LOOK upon sin?
Did you know that if you only have ONE sin, you CANNOT enter heaven?
Did you know that in order to be allowed into heaven, your sins MUST BE COVERED? Did you also know that your GOOD DEEDS can NEVER be good enough? Do not deceive yourself. Without the covering of sins that ONLY Jesus provides, you will NEVER get to heaven. You don't have to believe this but the truth is not dependent upon whether or not you believe it. Don't break my heart...please ask Jesus into your heart....you might not have tomorrow.... ♥
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life; NO ONE comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6 Jesus did NOT say He was one of many ways to heaven. He is the ONLY way.
God tells us in Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast".
While it is true that "faith without works is dead" James 2:20, it is not our good deeds/works that bring salvation. These works are the outward manifestation of our inward faith in Christ; they are the result of our following Christ's will to love others.
But our works can never save us. If our works could save us, there would have been no need for Jesus to die on the cross for sinners. For this reason did Jesus say, a moment before He breathed His last breath, "it is finished". In this, is Jesus' work of the cross complete, His grace (unmerited favor) being sufficient for the forgiveness of our sins.
2 Corinthians 12:9
Week of October 5, 2011
Israel...God's time piece.
The bible predicts that in the end days, during the last generation before the return of Christ at the end of the seven year Tribulation, that "Damascus will be a ruinous heap" and that "Lebanon will burn". According to biblical prophecy, Israel will destroy Damascus, the oldest city in the history of mankind. Lebanon likewise will be destroyed. We see the prophecy of Damascus in the following passage from the bible: Isaiah 17:1. "The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap..." Let's look at what Isaiah 10:34 says about the fate of Lebanon; "He will cut down the forest thickets with an ax..." And in Isaiah 33:9, "The land mourns and languishes; Lebanon is confounded and withers away; Sharon is like a desert, and Bashan and Carmel shake off their leaves." In Zechariah 11:1 we see "Open your doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour your cedars!"
According to bible prophecy, we know that Israel will destroy Damascus (at this point in time, I'm not sure whether it will be Israel that destroys Lebanon. However, we know that this too shall be destroyed.)
According to Psalm 83, Isaiah 17 and Obadiah, Israel will be attacked by the following arab countries: Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Gaza, Syria and Iraq. In retaliation, Israel will DESTROY DEMASCUS, the capital of Syria and supplier of weapons to Hezbollah, a terrorist organization. This could also be the war that brings Egypt to her knees. Watch for it. The bible doesn't lie. I believe, based on current events, this is soon to occur.
In an article dated October 4, 2011 (check out the following link for the whole article http://www.debka.com/article/21356/ ), it states "...Western intelligence sources have reported that Israel reacted with a warning ..'if a single Syrain missile explodes in Tel Aviv, Damascus will be the first to pay the price..." It goes on to state, "...if Tel Aviv comes under attack from its (Hezbollah's) missiles, not only Beirut but all of Lebanon would go up in flames. Assad was given to understand that Syrai would go the same way as Lebanon if it engaged in missile beligerance against Israel.'" As we can see, things seem to be lining up in the Middle East just as the bible predicts.
After the battle of Psalm 83, Isaiah 17 and Obadiah, you will witness a time of supposed "peace and safety" for Israel as she will have defeated her arab enemies. It is then that her non-arab enemies, headed by Russia, Iran, Turkey and others, will make a surprise attack against Israel in the Battle of Gog and Magog. (Ezekiel 38 and 39). But God will supernaturally protect Israel, destroying the attacking armies. Watch for it. ♥
After battles of Psalm 83 & Gog and Magog,we will see the Rapture of the Christian church wherein born again believers are removed before the worst time of tribulation on earth begins. You still have time to receive Christ personally; merely believing in Him won't cut it; even satan believes in Christ.The Word of God is going to prove itself as just that...the Word of God, through prophecy fulfillment. And God means business.We CAN'T get to heaven WITHOUT being born again (John 3:3) We're running out of time.
I'm sharing the soon to be fulfilled prophecies regarding Israel/tribulation for the purpose of helping you believe the bible and therefore to receive Christ. But more than by fear leading us to Christ, we need to see our NEED for a Savior; we can't WORK/EARN our way to heaven. "For by grace thru faith you are saved, this not of yourselves; it is God's gift (gifts are given out of love, not because we deserve them), NOT FROM WORKS SO NO ONE CAN BOAST" Ephesians 2:8-9
Please prayfully consider your eternal future; we all have one. Where you spend yours depends on the decision you make BEFORE your eternity begins.
Lord bless you and draw you into His bosom.
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door (of your heart), I will come into him and will sup with him and he with me". Revelation 3:20
Week of January 17, 2010
End Times Prophecy....think you have time?
The Bible predicted Israel would be a nation again...this came true at midnight, May 15, 1948. See Amos 9:14-15, Ezekiel 37:10-14,21-22, Isaiah 66:7-8 Jesus said when this happens, we are in the last generation before His return. See Matthew 24:32-34, Mark 13:28-30, Luke 21:28-32 A generation = 70 yrs. Do the math.
Prepare yourselves, PLEASE! Ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. Living for Jesus makes you born again of the spirit. "Unless you are born again, you CANNOT see the kingdom of God".
John 3:3, 1 Peter 1:23
Terrible times are coming soon upon the earth...such as man has never seen before. Look before you, America. It's happening now. Internment (concentration) camps are being built for those who disagree with the government (the one in Montana has 100,000 guillotines!)...this is especially centered around the Veterans and the Christians because it is these two groups that will protest the relinquishing of our freedoms with the greatest fervor.
But these times are reserved for the time of the Tribulation for we children of God (those who are born again) are not reserved for His wrath but are preserved from it. (Romans 5:9 & )
Receive Christ into your heart right now and escape the coming wrath. Just ask Him, "Jesus, thank You for dying for my sins on the cross. I know that I am a sinner and without You I am lost. Please forgive me of all my sins. Come into my heart right now and be my Savior."
Week of October 18, 2009
Salvation....think you can EARN it?
This week's study is centered around why we need a Savior and why our good deeds cannot save us.
"Unless you are born again,you CANNOT see the kingdom of God" John 3:3. "There is none righteous, no not one".Romans 3:10
"Salvation is NOT a reward for the good things we've done, so none of us can boast".Ephesians 2:9
"What makes us think we can escape punishment if we are indifferent to this salvation by Christ?" Hebrews 2:3
"There is no other name under Heaven by which we MUST be saved (Jesus)"
Acts 4:12
"Salvation is from the LORD" Jonah 2:9
Still think you can EARN it?
But you may say, James 2:17 "faith without works is dead".
True, but good works are born out of our faith, out of our commitment to the Lord BUT they do not save us. If we could save ourselves, then Jesus' death on the cross is in vain. Our work is the outward manifestation of the inward condition; if we are committed to God's will, that is, if we possess faith in Christ, then this inward faith will prove itself outwardly in our good deeds and obedience to God's will. In essence, our works is the evidence of what we believe. Jesus said that the world will know "we are Christians by our love". But our works do not save us. Jesus also said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me". (John 14:6) Jesus, not man, saves.
And again, you may say, "Christ commanded us to 'feed My sheep'. We are to live our lives in service to others". Jesus also said, "they will know you are My followers (Christians) by your love".
Yes, our lives are meant to be of service but the Word of God is very clear on just how salvation is granted. The bible says "by grace through faith are we saved and NOT BY WORKS" Eph 2:8 The doctrine of salvation by works promotes the belief that we are made worthy by our deeds but according to the Bible, our good deeds are as "filthy rags" Isaiah 64:6 Only Christ is worthy of being the Lamb of God; only He is capable of saving us. To think that we could possibly save ourselves is to make Christ's sacrifice on the cross to no avail. Jesus is the "propitiation of our sins" (1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10; Rom 3:25) which means Jesus is our replacement. In other words, He died so we wouldn't have to. Who are we to equate ourselves with the One and Only Lamb of God?
"The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from ALL sin". 1 John 1:7
Jesus does not need your help to make you clean; He does not require your assistance in redemption. What a prideful, self-exalting belief to think God requires our assistance to help Him complete the already completed work of the cross. Remember, God resists the proud but exalts the humble. (James 4:6)
NO where in the bible will you EVER find God robbing Himself of His glory. God alone deserves the credit for your salvation. Jesus paid the price in FULL. (God does not make partial payments!)
NO where in the bible will you EVER find God telling us to "do good things and thereby gain entrance into My kingdom". Even in the Old Testament, the Israelites' good deeds did NOT bring them salvation; rather, they were accounted as righteous by their faith in the One true God (Genesis 15:6).
There was only One qualified, only One completely sin-free Who was qualified to be the Lamb of God. We can not save ourselves. Yes, we are made for service but no where in the bible does God equate our service to men as reparation for our sins. "Can we boast that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds. It is based on our faith in Christ. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law". (Rom 3:27) The law required animal sacrifices (Old Testament) for forgiveness of sins. But Christ's sacrifice on the cross nullified the former covenant, replacing it with a new and everlasting covenant. (Heb 8:6; Heb 13:20)
There is no need for penance. Christ paid our sinful debt in full. His sacrifice on the cross is a once and for always payment for ALL sins. We cannot rob Him of His rightful glory and assume that any good thing we do could ever be good enough to get us into Heaven. If we could have saved ourselves, then we would have had no need for a Savior. This is how much God loves us. What a FREEING thing...to know we don't have to DO anything to compensate for our mistakes. Just pick ourselves back up, repent and with Christ's help, live according to His will. Salvation is, as the bible says, a "FREE GIFT"....free to any who will welcome Christ into his/her heart and make Him the Lord of their life. (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8) Our salvation is a gift from the Lord, made possible by His sacrifice on the cross...(Rom 8:1-4) We cannot purchase our salvation with any amount of good works, money, care of the poor, etc...(Acts 8:20). We do these things out of love and obedience to God, but they will not save us. Good works do not erase sin. Our sins are lost in a "sea of forgetfulness" (Hebrews 8:12; Isaiah 43:25) only when we make Jesus the Lord of our life. "But now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in God's sight, without blemish and free from accusation" (Colossians 1:21-22) Christ's death has brought us life, not our good works. There are many good people who rejected Christ who are now perishing in Hell.
If you would like to receive Christ as your personal Savior, it is so easy. Just say this little prayer...it doesn't have to be this prayer, but this is an example for you to pray from your heart. Please pray: "Jesus, thank You for dying for me. I know that I am a sinner in need of your forgiveness. Please forgive me and come into my heart right now. Be the Lord of my life, Jesus. Amen." If you said this prayer with a sincere heart, I'd like to welcome you to the family of God! We may never meet here on earth but we will one day meet in Heaven. Get involved in a good bible believing church. Pray that God will lead you to the right one. Then read His word daily. Pray daily. Worship your God daily. And be filled with the wondrous joy that can only come from the Holy Spirit. God bless you on your new and wondrous journey! You will never be alone!