Tag Archive | salvation

So You’re A Christian?

Dec2

This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” yet doesn’t keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God is perfected. This is how we know we are in Him: 6 The one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked. — 1 John 2:3-6 (HCSB)

There are many who call themselves Christians. . . Do you call yourself a Christian? You can know for sure. The standard is right here in these verses.

Do you keep His commandments? (Obey)
Do you walk just as Jesus walked? (Humbly, sacrificially, obediently)
Don’t know His commandments or how He walked? Check out the Bible. It will tell you.

So. Are you truly a Christian?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

O Come Let Us Adore Him

Nov22

O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.  — Psalm 95:1-2

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

I Am God

Oct8

“I, even I, am the Lord, And there is no savior besides Me. “It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, And there was no strange god among you; So you are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “And I am God. — Isaiah 43:11-12

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Free

Oct7

As Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way,  bringing us out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the         Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” — Exodus 14:10-12

Often times we can’t see past our circumstances to see that God has our future covered. We want to run back to the familiar even though God has a better life planned for us. We have a choice (again with the choices) — trust God with your life or stay in bondage, slavery where you are.

Jesus offers a way out. He offers freedom right where you are. Are you ready to be free from the bondage of sin and the overwhelming circumstances you’re in? Come to Him. He is waiting.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. — Matthew 11:28

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. — John 8:31-36

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

Do You Believe?

Oct6

King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do.” Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to   become a  Christian.” And Paul said, “I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains.” — Acts 26:27-29

Are you a Christian? One who believes that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross washing away your sin, was buried, and 3 days later rose from the dead? Do you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus? Will you confess Him to others?

Are you one who doesn’t yet believe? Are you desiring the freedom from shame and guilt? Believe now, confessing your sin before God and your need of Him in your life. Trust Jesus with your life and confess Him as your Lord. Today is the day to choose life. Eternal life. Won’t you come? Come to Jesus?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Life

Sep23

In whose hand is the life of every living thing,
And the breath of all mankind? — Job 12:10

So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. Therefore having  overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all  people everywhere should repent,  because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” — Acts 17:22-31

That man is Jesus Christ.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Perseverance Has It’s Reward

Sep12

These twenty years I have been in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, and you changed my wages ten times. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night.” — Genesis 31:41-42

20 years Jacob put up with Laban’s oppression and scheming ways. I believe he did it for the love of his family. He wanted them well taken care of. He was looking out for their welfare.

How long would you endure with a self-seeking, oppressive, unfair boss just to ensure the well-being of your family? Sometimes we are quick to run, give up when treated unfairly.

God blessed Jacob with a large family and great wealth to care for that family. When God said it was time to return to the land of his father he went.

Perseverance has it’s reward. Thank God that Jesus persevered on the cross for us. Thank God that we are well taken care of by the blood of the Lamb and that one day we will reunited in the homeland of our Father.

Persevere to the end because perseverance has it’s reward.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

 

Broken And Contrite Heart

Sep10

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;
Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Your praise.
For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

— Psalm 51:1-17

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.

— Psalm 34:18

Continually seeking Him,

         Sharon

What’s Your Excuse?

Aug20

God is not dead!!!! Hallelujah!!! He is real, alive, authentic, relational. And He wants you to know Him. What are you waiting for?

Stubborn? When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they refused to believe it.— Mark 16:11

Uninformed? To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. — Acts 1:3

Unwilling? You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. — John 5:30-40

Afraid? “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! — Luke 12:4-5

And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. — Revelation 1:17b-18

What are you going to do? The result, life or death, is your choice.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Seeking Generation

Aug17

 

The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains,

The world, and those who dwell in it.
2 For He has founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the rivers.
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face—even  Jacob.              Selah.            — Psalm 24:1-6

Do we have a generation of seekers alive today? Who are those of the generation who seek Him, who seek His face?

Could it be those who dwell upon the earth knowing that the Lord is the Creator of the earth and all that it contains? Those who believe the world and they themselves belong to God? Could that person or persons have clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted their souls to falsehood nor sworn deceitfully and been blessed? Are you that person who has received righteousness from the God of your salvation and been granted entry into the Lord’s holy presence? Do you seek Him?

We need a generation that Seeks the Lord and His strength; that seeks His face continually. (Psalm 105:4) Are you a part of that generation?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon