• Tag Archives Rom.10:13
  • Connected With God’s Grace

    “Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For [it is] a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. (Heb.13:9)”

    God’s writer for the above verse warns us that it is possible for our heart i.e. our intellect, emotions, and volition, to be carried from one strange and foreign doctrine to another. How can this be? I am a child of God! Every real child of God knows deep within that only God’s rich grace presented and permitted us to partake of His precious salvation! “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Eph.2:8-9)” To many, I am afraid, that God’s grace is only associated with salvation. Certainly, we must and should frequently praise our Lord for His benevolent act of personally meeting and bestowing His wonderful gift of redemption upon us but does grace end there! My dear friends this is only the beginning! IICor.1:22 proclaims that salvation is merely the down payment (“earnest”) for what is to follow. Perhaps it is time we all hang our heads and deeply examine where we stand spiritually. Maybe we can only remember the love and zeal we used to have.

     

    The “carried about” in Heb.13:9 introduces a scary thought. If we become passive, in our walk and talk with the Lord, we give permission to outside influences to rule us, in spite of our Biblical knowledge and the occasional interaction. In a world filled with multitudes of anti-God ways, we must assume the responsibility, with fear and trembling, of scanning our own lives. Never forget that God has daily grace for each of us – first, for salvation (Rom.10:13) if we are void of it, and ,secondly, He ever so desires to meet with ever child of His for daily strength that He might see and hear our daily praises for His movements and comfort.

     

    To the church of Ephesus and to our souls today God says through Paul,

    “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

    Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: (Eph.1:6-9) 

    God ever so desires to connect His grace with us. Are we willing?

    R.L.

     

     

     

     

     

     


  • “Just For Pilgrims And Others”(Part#1)

    “Absolutes”

         In an uncertain world, God’s pilgrims still have heavenly absolutes. Today let us begin by taking a peak at one – “And hereby we do know that we know him…” (1Jn. 2:3) The use of the little word “know” reminds us that it is not only possible to “know” through experience but, in addition, we have perfect assurance from God that we can “know” in an absolute sense and that also includes the present tense. The personal reality of this precious word grows only when we pilgrims invest in our fellowship with the Redeemer. Adrian Rogers tells a little that may assist in planting this Divine truth a little deeper with our hearts. “There’s a familiar story about the little fellow who lost a little red sailboat he had made. It sailed away from him across the pond. Later, he saw it in the second-hand store, and the proprietor made him buy it back. He bought it back, and as he carried the little sailboat out of that second-hand store, he hugged it to his chest and said, “Little sailboat, you’re mine. You’re twice mine. You’re mine because I made you, and you’re mine because I bought you back.”  The Apostle wrote, “…Ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1Cor.6:19-20)  

    As heaven bound pilgrims, it is not optional for us to move closer to God – God expects us to jump at the privilege!
    Perhaps you have never received God’s amazing gift of eternal life. Some believe that God’s free-gift is for wimps or perhaps a back door for the weak of heart. Things are just the opposite! Accepting Christ not only gives you eternal security but a sense of fulfillment, direction, and real meaning in life! In other words the moment you receive Christ as personal Savior, you will begin to understand where you came from, why you were born, what do I do while I am here, and what will happen to me when life is over. Psychologists tell us that every human deeply desires to have some or all of the above questions answered.  In today’s rapid life of technological achievements, rapidly watching things daily degenerating on the TV and around our own home, busyness, discouragement, and stress of the unknowns seem to be the common plague of our times. Christianity is not a philosophy, nor is it theologically categorized as a religion (man’s futile attempts to reach or impress God), but rather, it is a life style guided by the creator through us. I fully realize that there are a few weird ducks swimming in our pond but keep your eyes on God’s Word – not them!  In Matt.24:35, Mk.13:31, and in Lu.21:33, the Bible says the same thing – “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” As I approach the end, please permit me to encourage the skeptics to write down the following verse and carry it with you for a few days, mediating upon it as much as possible.  (Rom.10:13) “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”