Not Celebrating Ghosts, But God's Victory!

I Corinthians 15: 13-14: "But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen, And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty." Continuing on in verses 17-19 it says "And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then these who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we of all men are most to be pitied."

Today is a day when demonic forces celebrate as humans celebrate ghouls, ghosts and witches. People are afraid when they see a ghost raise up from a grave, and rightly so. But Jesus was not to be feared when He rose up from the grave and appeared to His disciples. For believers are not to be pitied, Christ really did rise from the dead! He has shared with His children His resurrection victory!

“Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him and He vanished from their sight.” Luke 24: 31. I love how it says "He opened their eyes." For my eyes were opened again today, if only in a small way, to the greatness of these facts, and how they forever changed the course of human history. I read in all 4 gospels the account of Jesus showing Himself to the women and the disciples on the third day, when He rose from the dead. Jesus said the kindest words. He is still saying them today, to us, at this fearful time we live in.

In Matthew 28:9, He told the disciples to rejoice, and in verse 10 He said, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me." Did you notice there that He called them His brethren, not just the apostles or people? We have been made brothers and sisters with God because Christ completed His mission of paying for sins fully and presenting His perfect humanity as a sacrifice for us upon the cross. What could be more glorious than that?

In Mark 16: 9-10 it says this of Christ's resurrection: "Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe." How sad they didn't take stock in what Mary told them. She was one grateful lady, to have seven demons removed from her by Christ's power. They still tremble today.

John gives more detail about His appearing to Mary. He reports in John 20: 14-17: "Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”

Jesus is now including God as being Mary's God as will as His! How awesome is that! Before the cross and the resurrection that was not possible, but now Jesus is able to say, "...Here am I and the children God has given Me." (repeated in Hebrews 2: 13, originally quoted in Isaiah 8:18).

Finally, in Luke's gospel (Luke 24: 19-27)we read about Jesus walking on the road to Emmaus with some of the disciples, who did not know who He was. "Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days? And He said to them, “What things?” So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”

Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." Again, I am amazed when the disciples said in verse 32, "Did not our heart burn within us when while He talked with us on the road, and when He opened the Scriptures to us?"

So, on this day when the world celebrates dead people, haunted houses and the underworld, I celebrate in only One who rose from the dead, thereby changing the course of human history. For the surest bet in the universe is Christ's resurrection, the one that assures the believer's resurrection as well.

How Do You Know God?

"We have no need to fear of Someone Who loves us perfectly; His perfect love eliminates all dread of what He might do to us. If we are afraid, it is for fear of what He might do to us, and shows that we are not fully convinced that He really loves us." I John 4:18 (Living Letters: The Paraphrased Epistles by Kenneth N. Taylor

In my reading this morning, I came across a familiar passage from Matthew 25:24 when Jesus told the parable of the talents. Whenever I read those words in the past, I had a funny feeling that I could be the man who had one talent but buried it in the ground.

"Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed."

That is how I used to know God. How do you know Him?

The lord in the parable answered that his servant was "wicked" and "lazy" in verse 26 of Matthew 25. In the Outline of Biblical Usage, wicked is the Greek word ponēros (G#4190) and has these meanings:

I. labours, annoyances, hardships
A.
pressed and harassed by labours

B.
bringing toils, annoyances, perils; of a time full of peril to Christian faith and steadfastness; causing pain and trouble

II.
bad, of a bad nature or condition
A.
in a physical sense: diseased or blind

B.
in an ethical sense: evil wicked, bad

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4190&t=NKJV

The word for lazy is oknēros (G#3635) and it means in the Outline of Biblical Usage:

I. sluggish, slothful, backward

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G3636&t=NKJV

For me personally, I see how in the past I was both wicked and lazy. (Let's call a spade a spade.) I did not know God as a loving Heavenly Father because I did not invest the time in finding out just what God's character was. The result was I ended up fearful, thinking God was always ready to "drop the hammer" on me.

How could I be fearful when it says this in Romans 8: 28-39?

"And we know all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God, and if we are fitting into His plans. For from the very beginning God decided that those who came to Him-and all along He knew who would-should become like His Son, so that His Son would be the first, with many brothers. And having chosen us, He called us to come to Him; and when we came, He declared us "not guilty," filled us with Christ's goodness, gave us right standing with Himself, and promised us His glory. What can we ever say to such wonderful things as these? If God be on our side, who can ever be against us? Since He did not even spare His own Son for us but gave Him up for us all, won't He also surely give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for His own? Will God? No! He is the One Who has forgiven us and given us right standing with Himself. Who then will condemn us? Will Christ? NO! For He is the One Who died for us and came back to life again for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us there in heaven. Who then can ever keep away Christ's love for us? When we have trouble or calamity, when we are hunted down or destroyed, is it because He doesn't love us anymore? And if we are hungry, or penniless, or in danger, or threatened with death, has God deserted us? No, for the Scriptures tell us that for His sake we must be ready to face death at every moment of the day-we are like sheep awaiting slaughter; But despite all this, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ Who loves us. For I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can't and life can't. The angels won't, and all the powers of hell itself cannot keep God's love away. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, Or where we are-high above the sky, or in the deepest ocean-nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord."

from Living Letters, Kenneth N. Taylor

Tell me of another god who loves like this God? A god would actually bear that cross up Golgotha's hill willingly and not open His mouth against His accusers? I have never heard of any. Christianity is the only faith that is God reaching down to man, not man trying to reach up to God through works.

Each day I am gaining confidence in the love He has for me, and that He is involved in every detail of my life. That is why Jesus beckoned us in Matthew 11: 28-30 to come to Him. In Kenneth Wuest's expanded translation it says this:

"Come here to Me, all who are growing weary to the point of exhaustion, and who have been loaded with burdens and are bending beneath their weight, and I alone will cause you to cease from your labor and take away your burdens and thus refresh you with rest. Take at once My yoke upon you and learn from Me, because I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find cessation from labor and refreshment for your souls, for My yoke is mild and pleasant, and My load is light in weight."*

*My emphasis

Though I never knew the Lord to be that way, I one day decided it was high time for me to learn, and take on that gentle yoke. He never promises my life to be free from trials, but He does promise that He will give me rest through them. Each day, my pastor says, is given a "24 hour grace packet" by our loving Father.

I don't want to hide my talent in the ground. So I come to Him and learn of Him, of His graciousness, kindness and faithfulness. He promises He will never leave or forsake me. (Hebrews 13:5) If this is the kind of God that you want to know, I encourage you to come to Him today. As long as you are breathing, He will never turn you away. (John 6:37)

Dodged Another Bullet? Or Haven't We?

John 9:4 "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."

It appears we won't face default tomorrow here in the good old U.S.A. But I wonder how long it will be until the next shutdown? We are trillions of dollars in debt. How are my grandchildren ever going to be able to pay for it? I fear today's deal may be just "kicking the can down the road." Someday, those debts are going to come due. It won't be pretty.

In the past, I've been caught in the trap of looking for a political savior. Really, right or left politically, there is none who can help us. That is why I propose the only way we should look now is up. Looking beyond the hope of this nation fixing itself, because that would be only because of revival in the churches. But that is not a trend of the church in the last days. Sooner or later, a storm will hit and this country will no longer be what it was. But that doesn't mean we can't have hope, even now in this dark hour. Both Psalm 60: 11 and Psalm 108: 12 tell us the very same words:

"Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless."

The word useless in the New King James Version is the word "vain" in the King James Bible. In the Hebrew, the word for vain is שָׁוְא, shav'. It is Strong's # H7723 and in the Bible it is used these ways:

I. emptiness, vanity, falsehood
A. emptiness, nothingness, vanity
B. emptiness of speech, lying
C. worthlessness (of conduct)

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H7723&t=NKJV

Nothing in the meanings above say there is one bit of chance for the hope of being able to rely on people or governments. Even the most kindhearted person will let you down if you give them enough time. But God will never let us down. For a long time in my life, I relied on people to try to give me the help only God could give. And when it came to election time, I hoped fervently a certain leader would be elected.

I believe during that time, God kept saying to me, "Hey, why don't You look to Me?"
He proverbially "taps His toes" and waits to be gracious to us. Isaiah 30:18: "Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you;And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.
For the LORD is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him."

We can have confidence that God remains sovereign in the whole affair, and He is also sovereign in our lives. If we have believed in His Son Jesus Christ as our Savior (John 3:16), God sees to it that our ultimate destination will be heaven. But the choices we make now will determine the quality of our heavenly future, and also how we will weather the inevitable storm that is coming.

Let's say we are close to the Lord's Second Coming. Jesus asked a pointed question that I keep thinking about: "... Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" I don't want sidelined by disaster so I am not prepared to meet Him on that day. It is my hope that He will find faith in my heart if I am to be here then. He also warned in Luke 21: 34-36:

"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the cares of this life and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."

The word in the Greek for "watch" is agrypneō, in the Strong's G5258, and is used in the Bible this way:

I. to be sleepless, keep awake, watch

II. to be circumspect, attentive, ready

It is in present tense, active voice and an imperative mood. The Blue Letter Bible says this about the imperative mood:
The imperative mood corresponds to the English imperative, and expresses a command to the hearer to perform a certain action by the order and authority of the one commanding. Thus, Jesus' phrase, "Repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mk.1:15) is not at all an "invitation," but an absolute command requiring full obedience on the part of all hearers.

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G69&t=KJV

Jesus doesn't give us an option. Since times are hard, it is essential not to be casual in our Christian lives. The Lord will give us wisdom if we only ask for it. (James 1:5)

"...look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21: 28

What God Wants to Do...More than We Ever Dreamed!"

Matthew 13: 58: "And He did not do mighty works there because of their unbelief."

The above verse grabbed my attention as I was reading the Word this morning. Think about what the implications of these words mean.Jesus wanted to do miracles as He taught in His own hometown. But He could not. Why? Because of unbelief. God wants to have a "green light" to go forward in His plans (beyond what we could ask or think,(Ephesians 3: 20) for our lives. But unbelief stops Him at a red light.

It got me to thinking about the things I may have hindered in my own life because of unbelief. An English Bible scholar named J.B. Phillips once penned a book entitled Your God is Too Small. It is one I definitely need to add to my "to be read" pile. I am struck by this verse: "Is anything too hard for the LORD?" in Genesis 18: 14. God spoke these words to Abraham after Sarah laughed about hearing the promise she would conceive a son in her old age.

Abraham is considered the eminent human role model when it comes to faith (Romans 4: 16-22) and Moses was called the friend of God in Exodus 33:11. What a privilege to be called that by God. Certainly, our Lord Jesus Christ is known as a "Friend of sinners" in Matthew 11: 19. But for Him to call us His friend is quite another matter.

Jesus says clearly in John 14:15:" If you love Me, keep My commandments." He didn't mean we had to do it in our own power, for we have no power at all to live the Christian life without His ability. John 15: 5 says "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

So we may say we love Him, but if we aren't keeping His commandments, we do not really love Him. One day many years ago I found in reading the Word a verse that brought me a huge sigh of relief. I thought I had to do a million things to be pleasing to God, to fulfill His commandments. In this same book of the Bible, the Gospel of John, it told me, who was trying so hard to make myself acceptable before Him.

John 6:28: "Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” verse 29: Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

Faith is the golden key to pleasing God. Abraham proved his faith before God when he was commanded by God to offer up his son Isaac on Mount Moriah in Genesis 22. After waiting all his life for an heir, God finally gives him a son as a miracle, way after he and Sarah were able to produce one on their own. Then God asked Abraham to offer Isaac as a burnt offering in Genesis 22:2.

"Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” Abraham did not cry out and say, "Hey, wait just a second here! Didn't you say this son would be my heir?" (Genesis 12: 1-3)

The very next verse (Gen. 22: 3) says: "So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him."

He went forward with what God told him to do, and just as he was ready to slay his son Isaac as the offering, God said (Genesis 22:12) "And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

It was then that God provided a Lamb, who typified what God would do on that very spot thousands of years later. God provided a Lamb in our Lord Jesus Christ, being lifted up on the Hill of the Skull, where He tasted death for every single one of us. (Hebrews 2:9) "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone."

All He asks is that we believe Him. He did the impossible part in dying for our sins. He just asks that we believe that He is able to give us a life beyond what we could imagine or think, a life so much better than we possibly could make for ourselves.

Well, then, how do we get faith, some may ask. Paul tells us the answer in Romans 10: 17.

"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

We can please God when we take time from our busy lives to hear God's Word and read it for ourselves. When we find a promise that helps us, we can write it down and expect it from Him. As we grow in grace, the promises of God become increasingly more precious to us. For God's Word is the only Truth in the universe, the only thing on which we can firmly rely. We know that we can "take God's Word to the bank," for Jesus says in Matthew 24:35:

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words by no means will pass away."

You can please God today just like Abraham, the father of faith did. Simply believe that Jesus is the Christ, the One who took our sin burden upon His back and paid for every infraction of every single man, woman, boy or girl that has ever lived or will live. Believe He died, was buried, and rose up from the grave. (I Corinthians 15: 1-6) You will suddenly have peace, and your life can have a brand new purpose.

If we have already believed, we can always take stock of where we are in relation to believing God's Word. As long as we breathe, we have more opportunities to believe God's Word. This is true faith, the only thing that pleases Him.

Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

9/30/2013 Blog Tour

Psalm 23 "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

First off, thanks to my God for His everlasting consolation and salvation through Christ.

I want to thank my writing friend, Joan Y. Edwards http://joanyedwards.wordpress.com/2013/09/22/blog-tour/ for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour. I also want to thank her for helping me be the writer I am today and for introducing me to http://www.4rvpublishing.com/

If it weren't for Joan, I would not have my book: Sure Mercies: Hope for the Suffering undergoing edits for publication next spring (May or June, 2014). The Lord did direct my path, just like He did for David in Psalm 23. I would like to tell you a little bit about me and my book in this blog tour post.

1. I started writing as a child. I never thought of myself as a writer though. I did have stories in my head but did not always get them onto paper. One of the stories remains with me today. I guess I should get around to writing it. I remember one thing that encouraged me with my writing as a child. One summer, our library had a little writing contest for children. We were to read the book Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski. I liked the book because of its story line and its pretty illustrations by the author. We were to write a book report about it. I won the contest that summer and received a "Snoopy" statue as a result. Growing up, I did not receive many rewards. I was just slightly above average in schoolwork. So, winning that small contest meant a lot to me. I never thought that it indicated I could have promise as a writer.

2. In high school, I wrote poems about things that affected my life. One of the poems was about my paternal grandmother. I only saw her once a year and "goodbyes" were always difficult because I never knew if she would be around the following year. My poem was called "Wise Old Grandmother" and was published in our high school literary magazine, along with one or two more of my poems.

She is in the picture below, with my Dad and Grandpa. I wrote about the values I saw in her: hard work,sacrifice, and a simple lifestyle.

3. When I went off to college, I ignored my stronger abilities and chose a career in the nursing field because I wanted to help people. It never occurred to me that possibly I could help people through writing instead. Although I loved interacting with my different patients, the medical part was not really for me. I managed to get my bachelor's, but when I married and began having children, I was glad to stay home with them.

4. I home taught my children and in the process, discovered many wonderful books that I had missed as a child. Reading aloud to my kids became a priority and one son claims he still sees some of the stories in his mind. That is when I discovered the wonderful world of children's literature.

5. About eight years ago, when my last child was entering high school, I signed up for the Institute of Children's Literature course, Writing for Children and Teenagers. When I graduated with my Basic diploma and had one of my stories published, I was recommended for the Advanced, Book Writer course. And that is how my book Sure Mercies was born. With the help of my instructor, I came up with an idea to write about my favorite Bible character, David. I always had loved David's Psalms. They helped me through the rough times of growing up and especially as a teenager. My sister got me a fascinating autobiography of David by F. B. Meyer. I wanted to tell more about these Psalms. I also loved reading about heroes of the faith. I came up with 40 of David's Psalms and a person to fit each one of them. In my stories I explained how each person overcame some difficulty in their life and exemplified a portion of that Psalm in that way. Some of the heroes were from modern days, but some in early church history as well. They spanned across the whole church age. I ended up putting a timeline at the end to show how their lives intertwined amongst themselves, one influencing the other like a stack of dominoes. I also put in a study guide for further contemplation on Scripture, and a Scripture index and resource guide. I wanted my readers to understand that not only the Psalms, but the whole Word of God directly fit together as the Ultimate Guide Book for our lives. My audience was originally for teenagers, because I remembered how difficult adolescence was for me personally. I wanted to show Jesus Christ is the best friend we can ever have. It ended up that this book will be appropriate also for adults. I want to reach as many people as possible with the message that in Christ there is hope for the bleakest situation. It is never too late as long as you have breath.

6. I have been extremely blessed to find 4RV Publishing, who was willing to take a chance on a first time author. In addition, I found a wonderful editor (who lived within walking distance) who helped me get my manuscript ready for submission to 4RV. Friends within my critique group believed in my book and helped me to carry on when I was ready to give up. My family cheered me on, with my husband, Kevin, the biggest helper of all. Now, I am hoping to write many more books. I love to write about the LORD and His love, but also have a funny side and enjoy writing about my cat Missy (aka "Super Cat") and her antics. I worked with children of varying ages for about nine years. My own children and the kids I cared for helped fuel my imagination for other children's stories and poems as well.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this blog. I recently began a new blog specifically about kids and adult books. It is my hope to direct you to great reads on there. I encourage you to stop by there as well. Come on over and also see me at: http://meganvance.wordpress.com/

100 Things to be Thankful for-Part Two

My gratitude list, continued:

51. God alone made the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1: 1)
52. He created man in His own image. (Genesis 1: 27)
53. He makes everything beautiful in its time. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
54. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13: 8)
55. God is faithful in calling us into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 1: 9)
56. God's agape love is not like man's kind of love. (I Corinthians 13)
57. Three things will remain forever: faith, hope and love. (I Corinthians 13:13)
58. He wants to reward for what He Himself does in us. (Philippians 2: 13)
59. He who began a good work in His children will complete it to the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1: 5)
60. If we are faithless, He remains faithful.(II Timothy 2: 13)
61. Jesus came into the world as a light so that anyone who believes in Him will not walk in darkness. (John 12:46)
62. A bruised reed Jesus Christ will not break. (Isaiah 42: 3)
63. By His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53: 5)
64. Christ's dying sacrifice satisfied God's justice once for all without need of repetition. (Hebrews 10: 12)
65. Christ has made believers kings and priests. (Revelation 1:6)
66. He has washed our sins in His own blood. (Revelation 1:5)
67. God is not willing that any should perish. (I Timothy 2:4)
68. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. (Ezekiel 18:23)
69. God had to bare His own arm for us by sending His own Son. (Isaiah 52:10)
70. God's righteousness is an everlasting righteousness. (Psalm 119:142)
71. There is no other God like our God. (Deuteronomy 4:39)
72. His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 136)
73. We just need to Look upon Christ to be saved. (Isaiah 45: 22)
74. When Christ gave the Sermon on the Mount, He gave "Be-attitudes" and not "do" attitudes. We are transformed without travail by looking in the mirror of the Word. (II Corinthians 3: 18)
75. Moses had to cover His face to go into the presence of God, but we do not have to cover our faces. (II Corinthians 3: 16-18)
76. In the Savior are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:3)
77. Salvation is the gift of God, so no man can boast(in and of himself). (Ephesians 2: 8-9)
78. But we are allowed to boast in the Lord. (Psalm 34: 2)
79. We are free indeed in Christ. (John 8: 32-36)
80. The Lord of the Universe humbled Himself to be "born in a barn" among animals. (Luke 2: 7)
81. The Greatest became the least and our ultimate example of humility. (Philippians 2: 5-8)
82. Therefore God has given Him the name which is above every name. (Philippians 2: 9)
83. The Lord knows them that are His. (II Timothy 2: 19)
84. Our names our engraved on the palms of His hands. (Isaiah 49: 16)
85. Not one hair of ours will be lost even if we are hated for His name's sake. (Luke 21: 17-18)
86. Our sins are thrown into the deepest depths of the sea. (Micah 7:19)
87. Through Christ (and Christ alone) we have access to the Father. (Ephesians 2: 18)
88. Overcoming believers in the church of Laodecia will be able to sit with Christ on His throne. (Revelation 3: 21)
89. Whosoever will may come and believe in Christ and appropriate His saving work on their behalf. (Revelation 22: 17)
90. Whosoever may take of the water of life freely. (Revelation 22: 17)
91. There is no other way to enter the Kingdom of Heaven but through Christ. (John 10: 1-3)
92. He calls His sheep by name. (John 10:3)
93. The Church Age will not be over until the "fullness of the Gentiles has come in." He will wait for the very last believer of the Church Age. (Romans 11: 25)
94. He does all things well. (Mark 7: 37)
95. The believer's times are always in God's hands. (Psalm 31: 15)
96. Precious in His sight are the death of His saints. (Psalm 116:15)
97. For the believer in Christ, living is Christ. (Philippians 1: 21)
98. For the believer in Christ, dying is gain. (Philippians 1: 21)
99. For the unbeliever in Christ, it is never too late to change your mind as long as you have breath, because God does not mark our iniquities, there is forgiveness with Him if you seek it. (Psalm 130: 3-4)
100. That He begs us seek Him while He may be found, and to call upon Him while He is near!(Isaiah 55:6)

If you have read this long blog post, I thank you. If you do not have the assurance of salvation as a free gift through Christ, I urge you to look up these beautiful promises from the Word of God, these wonderful gifts freely given through the grace of Another. You do not have to sweat or strain to get to heaven, and no matter what you have done in the past, you can be forgiven. All that work was already done for you, courtesy of the Lord Jesus Christ! No other religion or god can promise you these things. Today can be the day of your salvation!

100 Things to be Thankful For- Part One

Today marks my 100th blog post here and I would llke to celebrate by naming 100 things I am thankful for. It is my hope that you will find that you can be thankful for them too. Today I will list the first 50 of them, and the next posting will list the remaining 50 things. This list only tips the unfathomable number of blessings we can thank God for each and every day.

(When I went to publish this, I realized that some of my posts were mere drafts, but that is not any reason not to find 100 things to be thankful for! Actually there are 90 postings, but I will still list 100 anyway, for there are actually an incalculable number of things we will praise Christ for, coming one Day soon.)

1. For salvation as a free gift courtesy of Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2: 8-9)
2. For being born in a time when we see the soon return of our Lord Jesus Christ, since Israel was reborn as a nation in 1948, as Jesus promised that generation would not pass away until we saw the fulfillment of end time prophecy.(Matt. 24: 3-4)
3. For my salvation is nearer now than when I first believed. (Romans 13:11)
4. My name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and yours can be too by faith in Jesus Christ.(Rev 21: 12)
5. That I have been adopted into the family of God forever, and you can be too. (Ephesians 1:5)
6. That God is entirely good. (Psalm 119:68)
7. In God there dwells no darkness at all! (I John 1:5)
8. That if any man wills to do His will, he will know of the doctrine. (John 7: 17)
9. That Jesus Christ (only) is the Light of the world. (John 1: 1-9)
10. That He has numbered every hair upon my head, such is His ultimate knowledge and care for me.(Matthew 10:30)
11. That Jesus Christ fulfilled the law perfectly, thus satisfying God's justice for all those who would believe in Him.(II Corinthians 5: 19-21)
12. That God counts every star, and calls each one by name. (Psalm 147:4)
13. That nothing is impossible for God. (Matthew 19: 26)
14. One Day there will never, ever be a curse again.(Revelation 22:3)
15. That there is no guile or deceit in Christ. (I Peter 2: 22)
16. Christ took my own sins upon His body on the tree of Calvary. (I Peter 2: 24)
17. That my sins which were as bright as crimson are now white like wool. (Isaiah 1: 18)
18. Christ is able to keep me from stumbling. (Jude 24)
19. That no one can take me, or any believer, out of the Father's hand, and He is greater than all. (John 10: 28-9)
20. That He willingly was pierced in the house of His friends. (Zechariah 13: 6, John 19: 34)
21. The thief on the cross didn't have to get his life in order before he was allowed to enter Paradise with Christ, but he entered only through one act of faith in Christ.(Luke 23: 39-43)
22. That all of mankind's sins were collected as it were in Job's bag and placed on Christ. (Job 14:17)
23. Then Christ took all of our transgressions, and they were nailed to the tree and taken out of the way, thereby opening access to the Father to anyone who believes. (Colossians 2: 14)
24. That the last time the Father saw my sins was when He put them on Christ, and now they remain behind His back. (Isaiah 38:17)
25. I have been made a princess raised up from the dust and ash heap. (Psalm 113: 7)
26. Jesus Christ is my Shepherd. (Psalm 23:1)
27. The Lord will make me to stand. (Romans 14: 4)
28. The Lord was the One who knit me together in my mother's womb. (Psalm 139: 13)
29. We all are fearfully and wonderfully made by a Creator. We didn't evolve from an amoeba! (Psalm 139: 14)
30. That it is never too late to come back to God if you have strayed, or come the first time if you have rejected Him for many years, for Today is the day of salvation! (II Corinthians 6: 2)
31. That God is/was faithful to the nation of Israel, and we can count on the fact that He will be faithful to His church too! (Romans 11:11)
32. Israel's branch was temporarily broken off so the Gentile nations could be grafted in! (Romans 11: 17-19)
33. That in Christ we are not of any racial or gender status, but all believers are all one in Christ. (Galatians 3: 28)
34. Believers have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Ephesians 1: 3)
35. God is not far from any of us. (Acts 17: 27)
36. All that call upon the name of the LORD will be saved. (Romans 10: 13)
37. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness for all that believe. (Romans 10:4)
38. If we love His Word, we can have great peace. (Psalm 119: 165)
39. The person that loves God's Word will not stumble. (Psalm 119: 165)
40. I do not have to grope for His Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119: 105)
41. Christ will never, no never forsake me or any of His children. (Hebrews 13: 5)
42. God had a plan to save mankind in eternity past. (Revelation 13: 8)
43. Jesus is a friend of sinners. (Luke 5: 30-32)
44. There is a remnant according to grace even at this present time. (Romans 11: 5)
45. My sinful nature was crucified with Christ. (Romans 6:6)
46. I no longer have to be a slave of sin. (Romans 6:6)
47. I have peace with God because of Christ. (Romans 5:1)
48. One day every knee will bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Might as well be among them now!!) Philippians 2: 10-11)
49. In our weakness, we can be strong (in Him!) (II Corinthians 12:9)
50. If one is honest when looking upon creation, it testifies to every man's heart of the true Creator. (Romans 1: 20)