Tag Archive | salvation

Got The Time?

Mar16

Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to  awaken from sleep; for now  salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. — Romans 13:11

“Do this” refers back to Romans 13:8-10 (yesterday’s devotion) to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus loved us so much He gave His life up on a cross so we could have salvation from sin and He rose so we could have eternal life. Hallelujah!!!! And to think that each passing moment we are closer to that reality then we have ever been when we shall see Jesus in all His glory!!!

Knowing that the time is coming how can we love one another more than to share the gospel message? It is time for the Christian to wake up:
“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. (Matthew 24:42)
Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. (1 Corinthians 15:34)

If you say you are a “Christian” you represent Jesus in all you say and do. Are you willing to share Him so that others may know the hope found in Him? People need Jesus!

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Be Not Haughty

Mar8

do not be haughty in mind, but  associate* with the lowly. — Romans 12:16b

*accommodate yourself to lowly things

I remember a time in my life when I would covet my neighbor’s things. Before I owned a house I would envy those who had one. The old junker we were driving paled to the brand new cars on the block. And my mother’s wisdom ringing in my ear, “as long as it gets you from point A to point B”.

“The one who dies with the biggest toys wins”. Remember that bumper sticker? Many want to be judged by what they own, by their position in the workplace, how intelligent they appear and think it below themselves to be seen anywhere but amongst the well-to-do.

The song, “No One Knows What Goes On Behind Closed Doors” reminds me that the outward appearance doesn’t always tell the whole story. The haughty on the outside is probably broken on the inside. Their need is to be recognized. Jesus is not attracted by our status in society. He is concerned with the humble heart who can accept that He is God and take the salvation He has to offer. Jesus was not too proud to associate with the lowly. He went to those who were not distracted by the things of this world, the lowly, to bring a greater gift than anything this world could give.

Are you too proud to accept God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ? If you have accepted the gift, are you too proud to associate with everyone, including the lowly, who need Christ?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Be Transformed

Feb28

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the  renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. — Romans 12:2

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. — Colossians 3:2

if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. — Ephesians 4:21-24

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others,   snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. — Jude 1:20-23

How is your transformation coming? Does God have your attention? Are you setting your mind on the things above? Are you being taught the truth, Jesus Christ, by reading your Bible, taking part in a study group, listening to the Word of God preached? Are you building up your faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, and keeping yourself in the love of God? Are you anxiously awaiting Jesus’ return and telling others of His mercy and grace?

How are you renewing your mind for the purpose of God — knowing and fulfilling His will?

Again. Does God have your attention?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

 

 

 

Heart’s Desire

Feb23

Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. — Romans 10:1

What are the desires of your heart? Are they eternal desires? Are there people in your life that have no eternal hope?

Pray for them and ask God to give you an opportunity to share the gospel. Be ready and watch for God to open the door, the Holy Spirit to move and Jesus to be proclaimed from your very lips.

preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. — 2 Timothy 4:2

 sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; — 1 Peter 3:15

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Feet

Feb22

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” — Romans 10:14-15

Feet are definitely not my favorite part of the body. Anybody’s body. But here they are referred to as beautiful.

If I rewind into the past when this was written I see feet that are dirty, calloused, possibly with blisters depending on the length of travel, and bloody spots due to rocks or other debris they come across. Not so beautiful. The sacrifice to spread the good news is what makes those feet beautiful.

I look at Jesus as He went to the cross. Bloody. Scarred. Dirt embedded in every crevice. Possibly blisters. Not a pretty picture and yet a beautiful sacrifice because He brought good news!!! He brought reconciliation, salvation, eternity.

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News!!!

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Confess

Feb21

that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. — Romans 10:9-10

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Convinced?

Feb20

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? — Romans 8:35

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. — Romans 8:38-39

Do you believe that Jesus is God? Do you trust Him as your Lord? Then nothing can separate you from the love of God.

God’s love for mankind was and is so great that He sent Jesus, His only Son to be crucified so that through Him we may be reconciled to God. Don’t miss what is written, that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. You are already separated from God if you don’t know Jesus as Savior and Lord. But the good news is that after you are reconciled to God, nothing can separate you from the love of God.

Do you believe what is written?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

Death or Life?

Feb12

For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. — Romans 8:5-8

Where is your mind focused? Death or life and peace? Flesh or Jesus Christ?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Slavery

Feb11

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. — Romans 6:20-23

We are all slaves to something. We choose whom we are enslaved to. Enslaved to sin, free from righteousness, resulting in death or enslaved to righteousness, free from sin, resulting in eternal life.

Who do you choose? I choose Jesus!

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Real Salvation

Feb10

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. — Romans 6:12-13

Salvation is not the end all. As some have called it “fire insurance”. Sin is still in the world, all around us. Before salvation we could be found in the depths of sin. Salvation brings us from death to life. So take a look around. Are you still dabbling in sin? Are you still exposing yourself to sin thinking you are safe from it because you are saved? Many whom Jesus healed He told to go and sin no more.

Seek the Lord and His righteousness and watch His transformation in your life as He takes you from unrighteousness with its unrighteous acts to righteousness and its righteous acts. Live in and for Jesus. That is real salvation.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon