Category Archives: Gospel

Too Good to be True? Not This Time

28 Thursday Jan 2016

Posted by in Faith, Gift, Gospel, Heaven, Hope

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I was so happy I couldn’t even fall asleep. I had just shared the message of salvation by faith alone in Christ alone with my friend. As I watched her amazement at such a message, I was reminded of the first time I really heard the gospel message. It was shocking!

How can it be that all I have to do is believe in the redeeming work of Christ? How can it be that simple?  Yet, it is. Christ has been God’s plan from the very beginning, even before creation.

The message is simple, yet astounding!

  • God is holy and just, unable to overlook your sin. He is also Love so He provided a way for you.
  • You are sinful, never able to meet God’s standard of holiness, guilty, unable to save yourself.
  • Christ,the sinless Son of God, the only One who could meet God’s standard of holiness, was willing to pay the penalty for your sins by his death on the cross. His sacrifice once and for all removed the sin barrier between you and God.

There is no debt for you to pay.  Christ already paid it.

There is nothing you must do to earn your salvation.  Christ already provided it.

The only requirement for you to be saved is to believe. You must rely on the fact that Christ’s sacrifice on the cross took care of your sin problem in the eyes of God. The moment you believe, Christ’s righteousness will be credited to your account!

Believe in Christ today! It matters not if you are a good person or a bad person.  No one is good enough to save themself and no one is too bad for Christ to save!  Christ alone is the hope of salvation!

John 3:16-17, Ephesians 2;4-9, Galatians 3:13, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21

 

 

 

 

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What is that smell??

14 Thursday Jan 2016

Posted by in Gospel, Grace, Purpose, Witness

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Did you know a bad smell can wake you up out of a sound sleep?  I can tell you from personal experience that it can.  One night our entire family had gone to bed and everyone was sound asleep.  Suddenly, all of us – but one-  found ourselves in the hallway asking each other, “Ugh!  What is that disgusting smell?”  Our family still laughs about that night to this day. But we weren’t laughing that night!  LOL

Just as a bad smell can send you running, a good smell can draw you in.  The smell of freshly baked cookies, the smell of lilacs, the smell of homemade bread, the smell of a roast in the oven, the smell of a freshly cut tree…

How about the ‘smell of Christ’?  Are you spreading the fragrant aroma of Christ everywhere you go?  Does your smell draw people to Christ or send them running in the opposite direction?  Is your smell sweet? Is your smell inviting?

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.  For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.  2 Corinthians 2:14-16, 3:5-12

When I think about being a fragrant aroma for Christ, I feel inadequate.  Paul felt that way, too.  He actually asked, “And who is adequate for these things?”  Thankfully, our adequacy is from God.  He has made us new.  He has placed us in Christ.  He has given us His Spirit.

Be a fragrance of Christ today – everywhere you go!

 

 

How Many Kids Do You Have?

06 Wednesday Jan 2016

Posted by in Children, Gospel, Love, Opportunity

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How many children do you have?  I’m not talking about your physical children.  I’m talking about your spiritual children.

Paul said to the Corinthians, “I became your father through the gospel.  Imitate me.”

The Lord gives opportunities to each of us.  The opportunities the Lord gives me will be different than the opportunities He gives you.  Don’t waste time comparing opportunities! Seize your own God-given opportunities and ‘father’ someone through the gospel.

This responsibility can feel overwhelming.  That’s why I love the fact that the results are not our responsibility.  The results are the Lord’s responsibility.  It is His work.  Only He can change hearts.  We simply seize the opportunities that come our way, share the gospel, and trust Him to do the rest.

So today, pray for opportunities!  Then when they come, seize them!

Remember opportunities are people! People that need the love of Christ.

I Corinthians 3 & 4

 

 

 

But God

11 Friday Sep 2015

Posted by in Gift, Gospel, Grace, Hope, Love

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Before:

  • You were excluded from the promises of God.
  • You were without hope in this world.
  • You lived separated from Christ.
  • You were without God in this world.

But Godfile0001488220308

By Grace

Gave

Now:

  • You can have the promises of God.
  • You can have hope while in this world.
  • You can live together with Christ.
  • You can have bold access to God.

But GOD because of His GREAT love GAVE us Jesus – not to condemn us but to welcome us into His family.

But GOD because of His GREAT love GAVE us Jesus to remove the barrier of sin that stood between God and man.

But GOD because of His GREAT love GAVE because He wanted to.  His intentions toward us are kind and good.

But GOD because of His GREAT love GAVE because He knew we could never attain His holy standard of righteousness on our own.

So He GAVE us Jesus.  When we accept Jesus by faith, we are no longer separated from God.  We are placed in Jesus.  GOD GIVES us Jesus’ righteousness – not because of a single thing we have done.  But because of His GREAT GRACE through His GREAT GIFT, Jesus. Simply because of His GREAT LOVE for us!

This is the true Gospel. It is:

  • A message of GREAT acceptance!
  • A message of GREAT hope!
  • A message of GREAT love!
  • A message of GREAT reconciliation!
  • A message of GREAT grace!
  • A message of a GREAT GOD!

Share it with someone today!

Spend some time in Ephesians today, thanking Him for being such a GREAT GOD!

Sometimes I’m Afraid It Will Never Happen

16 Friday Jan 2015

Posted by in Faith, Gospel, Loved Ones

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I have loved ones who do not enjoy a personal relationship with Jesus. I have shared the good news with them – the news that Jesus came to reconcile every person to Himself by paying the ransom for all sin on the cross; the good news that Jesus wants to have a personal vibrant ongoing relationship with them. The good news that faith is the only thing required to enter into such a relationship.  I Timothy 2:3-6

But sadly, they do not believe it.  And I want them to believe it so badly. Sometimes I’m afraid they will never believe it. And that’s where faith comes into play.

First and foremost, I choose to believe that God loves my loved ones – even more than I do. Secondly, I choose to believe that God is eager to reach them – even more than I am. Thirdly, I choose to believe that God is able to reach them – because only He can.

God encourages us by giving us the apostle Paul as a demonstration of His perfect patience with those who are not yet believers.  When the time was right, God reached out and grabbed Paul. And Paul saw the light. Paul went from being a blasphemer to being a believer.  He went from being a persecutor to being a preacher. I Timothy 1:15-16

So keep on praying for your loved ones.  Keep on trusting God to reach them as only He can.  If you’ve already shared the truth with themfile000551198693 (1), shut up and love them as Christ has loved you. Trust God to reach them in His own time and in His own way.  Take hope in the fact that God is able to do abundantly above all we ask or think.