Statements of Faith - Predestined For Adoption

 

EPHESIANS 1:5

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. 

Romans 8:14, 30

For all who are led by The Spirit of God are sons of God.

And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.

Ephesians 1:11

In Him we were also chosen as God's own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,

    You want to know God's will for your life? Pay attention: God loves you and wants you to be in His family, so He formulated a plan of salvation that would apply to all men and women in all nations. His plan of salvation through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ may seem foolish in the sight and understanding of mankind, but to those who believe on The Name of The Only Begotten Son of God, we have become His children by faith: we have believed the evidence without seeing the end result. 

PREDESTINED: To pre-establish boundaries

    God has set in order the things which must be done to accomplish the purpose He has set forth.

    Predestined does not mean that God does want some saved; it means He has chosen all to be saved through His plan of salvation. But not all will be saved, for each of us has a choice to make in this life while we draw breath. Jesus died on the cross to save all of us, and rose from the grave to give each of us eternal life through Him. However, some have found this message of the cross and the empty tomb to be mere fantasy, for they do not believe God is real. Living under false pretenses then, they cannot fathom that God's Word is real and true. 

    But we who do believe pray for those who don't. We pray that God will ahold of you whatever it takes. We pray for your salvation, that you will come to a point of believing on The Name of Jesus Christ, for "There is no other Name under heaven by which men can be saved." (Acts 4:12).

     Buddha cannot save you. Allah cannot save you. Mary cannot save you. Vishnu cannot save you. Shintoism, Taoism, Sikhism, Caodaism cannot teach you The Way of The Lord, which is paramount to living a separated, holy life. None of these can intercede on your behalf with God. Only Jesus saves. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can wash away sins. Only the resurrection of Jesus Christ can give you new life in Him. 

    God sent His Son to save us, and He sent His Holy Spirit to change us, to bring us into a state of holiness that we might see God and live. God sent His Son to give us eternal life, and He sent His Holy Spirit to lead us to Himself. 

    This is God's will for our lives here and now and after death. This is The Gospel of salvation by which all must be saved. Are you in that 'all'? Come to Jesus and be made clean. Come with me to the cross and see my Jesus. Come to the empty grave and see where my Jesus is not. Come and hear what The Spirit has to say. Let God have His Way in you, just as He is having His Way in me. Teaching me to surrender, to let Him lead me all the way home. 

    Let me reiterate here: we are all predestined by God to be saved, but not all of us will be saved, for the established boundaries which God has set forth to be saved are judged by many people to be foolish and delusional. 

    What decision will you make or have you made for Christ? 

I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS  - Lydia Walker

Statements of Faith - Accepted in The Beloved

 

EPHESIANS 1:6

To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He has made us accepted in The Beloved.  

THE BELOVED

Psalm 2:7 

I will proclaim the decree spoken to Me by The LORD: "You are My Son; today I have become Your Father."

Isaiah 42:1

"Here is My Servant, Whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in Whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations."

Matthew 17:5

While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!"

John 1:32

And John bore witness, saying, “I saw The Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him."

Song of Solomon 6:3

“I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine, He who pastures his flock among the lilies.”

WE ARE ACCEPTED IN HIM

Ephesians 1:7 

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

Ephesians 2:6-9

(6) And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,  (7) in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (8) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not by works, so that no one can boast. (10) For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.

John 1:12 

But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name: children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.

 

    Believing on The Name of The LORD JESUS CHRIST for our salvation makes us acceptable in Him. It is the generous grace of God which has made this possible. Nothing we could ever do or say would help us to land this position in Christ. 

Ephesians 1:3 says we are "blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms IN CHRIST".  

    In Christ we are made perfect though our perfection cannot yet be seen with earthly eyes. We are not 'holier than thou' people of God: we are repentant sinners, who know and acknowledge that we need a Savior to save us from the penalties of our sins. And In Christ we are forgiven: our sins have been washed away by the blood which He shed on the cross that day on Golgotha. 

    In Christ we are loved by God, for God sees His children when He looks on us, because we have Christ in us. When we come to Jesus for the salvation freely offered, God covers us with the blood of His precious Lamb and makes our souls clean. 

    In Christ we are being built up into living stones - 1 Peter 2:5 - to be God's house, His dwellingplace. Our Foundation is Christ and each believer is a living stone built upon The Living Word of God, The Rock of Our Salvation. 

    If you are not In Christ, you are not in The Word, and you will not be finding yourselves in a very happy place; in fact, it is dark in hell, it smells in hell, it is hot in hell -- with no cool water for relief --and the sounds will tear through you: not just the screams and cursings from other people in hell, but from the fallen angels who will join you on their judgment day. 

    God is to be feared and revered. His holiness demands it. No sin can be in His presence. Remember Christ on the cross and the skies got very dark (Matthew 28:45, 46), Jesus Christ out to His Father, for now He was alone upon the cross. When the soldier thrust his spear into Jesus' side, where His heart was, water and blood came out (John 19:34). for our Savior's heart was broken. Sin had been laid upon Him and He became sin for us. In light of this knowledge we remember that sinfulness cannot be in the same vicinity as God, and therefore, neither could Jesus Christ at that time. 

    Through His obedience even to the point of death, Christ surrendered Himself to His Father. And though He knew that day was coming, He also knew that He would remain on the cross and in the grave until His work was done. 

    We who are In Christ have Christ in us through our faith in God's Word, God's Son, God's Beloved. We who are In Christ are saved by grace, filled with The Spirit of God and rest in God's peace. We beg you who are not, Come to Jesus and be healed, forgiven, loved and accepted.

JESUS PAID IT ALL - Fernando Ortega 

NEAR THE CROSS 

 

Statements of Faith - Chosen In Him

 

EPHESIANS 1:4

I am chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. 

Ephesians 2:10

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.

Romans 8:16

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 

John 1:12, 13

But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God--children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God. 

    The born again Christian is created in Christ Jesus; believing on His Name for our salvation, it is the only way to become a child of God. Taking communion, participating in the remembrance of Christ's sacrifice (the bread and the wine/juice) will not save a person's soul. Only Jesus can save us. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can wash away a person's sins, iniquities, transgressions. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can remove our shame and regret. 

    And only The Holy Spirit can tug at our hearts, calling us to come to Jesus and be born again into His Name, through His Name and His blood. Only The Holy Spirit can prick our consciences, convicting us of sin, rebellion against God--against His Way, His Will and His Word--and bring us to our knees crying out to God to forgive us, save us and make us clean and holy. Now is the time to listen to what The Spirit and The Word are saying to us. Now is the time to be forgiven and set on the road to change, to holiness. 

    [God's plan of salvation began before recorded time. There was a war in heaven. Satan rebelled against God and declared war on Him, persuading one-third of heaven's angels to follow him. That's what he does: he is persuasive, cunning, deceitful, tricky and evil. But God won that war and declared Lucifer (Satan's God-given name) to be persona non grata: he was no longer welcome in heaven, nor in God's holy presence and had to be removed permanently. So God sent him to Earth before there were people there.

    He worms his way into people's minds and hearts by manipulating and questioning God's Word and Authority. He is a devil and he lies and deceives people into believing things that are not true. (If a thing is half-true, it is still a lie. If a statement is omitted, it is still a lie, for the truth was not in it.).]

    But God had a Plan and His Plan is Jesus, His only begotten Son, Who took our punishment, died on the cross, rose from the dead and walked out of the grave! God won another war against Satan. And all who believe on The Name of His Son become God's sons and daughters: we are the children of faith. For it takes faith to believe the impossible or even the improbable. 

    Too many people have died in their sins and gone to hell. They died believing lies about their gods. They died not believing on The Only Name that could save them. They died unforgiven. And as such they condemned themselves to eternal death. They died not knowing their Creator, not knowing that He loved them, not knowing that there was a Way to heaven that they deemed improbable, for some doubted the existence of God and therefore denied His Son Jesus Christ's existence. 

    But God still loves us and His Spirit is still calling us to Come To Jesus and be Washed By The Blood, for Nothing But The Blood of Jesus can cure this disease called sin and be cleansed by His blood which washes away the sins of the world (John 1:29; John 3:16). Come today and see this Jesus Who washed away my sins. Come and see how God is changing me as I walk by faith this journey called life. Come and walk with me and Jesus, for He walks with me and wants to walk with you, too; as God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. 

    

    

Statements of Faith - Blessed By God

 

EPHESIANS 1:3

I am Blessed by The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed me in Christ with every spiritual blessing in heavenly realms. 

James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from The Father of lights, with Whom there is no variableness (change), nor shifting shadow.

Deuteronomy 28:1-14

1 By our faithful obedience to God's Word, He will set us on high above all nations of the earth.

2 We are to pay attention, be attentive to, God's Word and seek to know (with understanding and spiritual wisdom) and obey His will in every situation and decision.

 3 Wherever we live and whatever our work, it is blessed

4 Our children, our gardens, our livestocks will be blessed

5 God will supply all our needs

6 We will be blessed when we enter our homes and blessed when we leave them

7 We will have victory over our enemies and prosper in all we do; our enemies will fear us and our God, endeavouring to stay in our good graces

8 Our storehouses/barns/accounts will be prosper that we may bless others

9 We will be established as God's holy people, IF we keep His commandments and walk in His Way

10 They will know us by The Name of our God and be in awe of who we are 

11 Reiterates verse four 

12 We will prosper so well that many nations will borrow from us but we will never have need to borrow from them

13 We will rise above our enemies in the power and Promise of God, being the head (wise leaders); moving upward (as one does when mountain climbing, for example) but never downward.

14 As long as we remain in Him and follow Him, not allowing ourselves to be distracted by what tries to draw our attention away from Him, we will obtain every blessing He has herein promised His holy people. 

 In Christ, Who is God's Word in the flesh, I am forever truly blessed, indeed. In Christ, I am forgiven of my sins and redeemed by His blood, which He shed on Calvary. 

 In Christ, I am made whole and complete through His sanctification process through God's Holy Spirit. In Christ, I am not alone, nor will I ever be lonely, for He is my all in all. 

 In Christ, I am blessed beyond measure because He loves me. In Christ, I am God's adopted child because I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. 

  In Christ I live and Christ lives in me. 

Statements of Faith - 1 Peter 2:9

 

1 PETER 2:9

I am a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that I should show forth the praises of Him Who has called me out of darkness into His marvelous Light. 

CHOSEN GENERATION

    How are we chosen? By believing on The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ for my salvation. By repenting of my sins, iniquities and transgressions against The Word of God. By believing that God's Word is True and Faithful, that He fulfills His promises in His time. 

    We are chosen because we choose to follow Christ Jesus wherever He leads us; whether He leads us in the valleys of our lives or upon the mountains' heights. When He calls us to follow Him, we joyfully answer His call, running to meet Him, where He picks us up and holds us close to His heart. We are His sheep, His little lambs and we stay near our Shepherd. 

    Once we lived in the darkness of this world, too. Once we lived in rebellion, choosing to do things our way: selfishly and with only our interests at heart. But now, now we belong to God, choosing to live a life of honor and sanctification that we might be made pure and perfect in Christ. 1 Peter 2:10 "Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

ROYAL PRIESTHOOD

    He has promised that they who serve Him on this side of life will not only be blessed immensely now, but also be rewarded on the other side of life. 

Revelation 1:6 "And has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." 

Revelation 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.Exodus 19:6 "And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites." 

HOLY NATION

    Deuteronomy 7:6

For you are a people holy to The LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all peoples on the face of the earth.

     2 Thessalonians 2:13

But we should always thank God for you, brothers who are loved by The Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning to be saved by the sanctification of The Spirit and by faith in the truth.

   We are saved by faith in The Truth of the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ and through the sanctification of The Holy Spirit. Though the thief on the hill with Christ came to the realization that Jesus was indeed The Christ, he had just enough time left in his life to do so. By his declaration "Lord, remember me", he acknowledged Jesus to be LORD and asked that his name not be blotted out. And Jesus brought thief to paradise with him. 

    A holy nation also honors its God by not only hearing what He has to say, but by obeying what The Word He speaks. 

PECULIAR PEOPLE

    Exodus 19:5

Now therefore, if you will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine.

    Titus 2:14

He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

    We are God's people, His church, His possession, His congregation. We are set apart from all nations by choosing to be obedient to His Word and choosing His Love and Righteousness for us above all other loves and unrighteous thinking and actions. 

    When someone tells us, "You're weird, strange, crazy", it's because they have noticed your differentness, your born again-ness. As we should be: different, not like everybody else. Remember the teaching song, "One of these things is not like the other"? We are not like the other. We shine bright because our souls have been saved and The Light of Christ now lives in us. 

    The salvation of Christ upon us and the purification process of sanctification through The Holy Spirit cause us to continually praise our God for this wonderful thing He has done for us and in us. 

    Three hundred and three times the word 'praise' occurs in The Old Testament, alone. And in those three hundred and three times the word 'praise', at varying times, indicates different ways to praise. 

    Yadah: to extend our arms out in front of us or lift our hands up to our Lord 

    Halal: to boast in The Lord

    Shabach: to shout praise to The Lord 

    Tehillah: combination of all other words of praise to God 

    Towdah: sacrifice of praise - praising God in adversity

    Barouch: to kneel or prostrate one's self, to bow before The Lord

    Zamar: to play a musical instrument for God

7 WAYS TO PRAISE - Carman

NO LONGER SLAVES - Zach Williams
CHANGED - Jordan Feliz

HAPPY DANCE - MercyMe 

JESUS CAN - Austin French

LIVE LIKE YOU'RE LOVED - Hawk Nelson

    

    

Statements of Faith - Not Ashamed

 

ROMANS 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

    Romans 1:17

For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Exodus 18:9).

    SENT TO THE JEWS (ISRAEL) FIRST

Acts 3:26

"When God raised up His Servant, He sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."

    THE POWER OF THE CROSS

1 Corinthians 1:18, 21-24

(18) For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

(21) For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

(22) For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 

(23) but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 

(24) but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

 

    Without the mark of the cross (the atoning blood of Christ)  and the resurrection (born into a new life in Christ) upon the church (the born again believers who live a Christ-filled life) as a whole, nor without the baptism of The Holy Spirit dwelling within her (Comforter and Guide) and upon her (the power of God), there can be no unity in God's church, Christ's bride. 

Hebrews 9:22

And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. 

Luke 24:49

And behold, I am sending The Promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

True repentance is an acknowledgement and confession of our sins to God that we may receive His forgiveness. Without repentance (acknowledge sin in my life, confess my sins to God and stop doing those sins) there can be no forgiveness. 

Luke 24:47-48

(47) And He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 

(48) and in His Name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. 

Romans 4:25

He was delivered over to death (torture and the cross and the grave) for our trespasses (rebellions against God) and was raised to life for our justification (righteousness).

    

    CALLED TO SALVATION THROUGH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

Acts 4:11-12

(11) This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’

(12) "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 

Romans 5:6

(6) For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Acts 10:43

"All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His Name."

Romans 10:8-10

(8) But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:

(9) that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

(10) For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.

    I am not ashamed of being a Christian, a Christ-filled Christ follower. I am not ashamed of His gospel of salvation for it is the power of God saving me, changing me into His reflection, His image. For in the beginning when God created Adam, He created him in His image. And because He created Eve from Adam's rib, she became created in His image, too. 

    But sin entered in Eve's heart and she doubted the Truth of God's Word, causing her to eat the forbidden fruit, which she then handed off to Adam who also ate of it. Since then sin has reigned upon this earth and each person born has been born with the nature of sin within it. One of the first words we learn is "No", closely followed by a rebellious nature: doing what we want to do instead of doing what is best for us. 

    But God in His infinite mercy, which He extends to a thousand generations, made a Way for us to be forgiven and saved: John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" 

I am a whosoever. 

WINDS OF WORSHIP 10 - New England Worship Songs - Vineyard Music

NO WAY, WE ARE NOT ASHAMED - Carman 

THE JOY - The Belonging Co

 

Statements of Faith - I Am A Fruitful Branch

 

JOHN 15:4

Abide in Me, and I in you. 

As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,

 unless it abides in the vine, neither can you,

 unless you abide in Me. 

    Abide: remain, stay, wait (I wait for, I stay in, I remain with)

    How are we fruitful branches in Christ? 

• Matthew 4:19 When we follow Christ, He teaches us how to become 'fishers of men', how to draw people to The Light and Love of God's gospel of salvation.
• Proverbs 11:30 & James 5:20 Be a soul winner in His kingdom. Tell your testimony: what Christ Jesus has done for you, how He saved you and continues to walk your life's journey with you. 
• 1 John 3:24 Keeping His commandments causes us to be fruitful branches, for by doing so, we remain in Him and He in us. 
• 1 John 4:15 & Romans 10:9 Speaking out loud that Jesus is The Son of God shows they that hear us speak such Truth that God is in us and we are in Him. 

    What is a Christian's fruit?

• Our disposition, our character, our attitude - We are to have, cultivate and exhibit the fruit of The Spirit - Galatians 5:22-23.
• Our life and conversation - Live a life of love - Ephesians 5:2
• Our intentions, motives - Live a life of faith in God - 1 Timothy 1:4
• Honor God, do good - Live a life that is worthy of God's call - 2 Thessalonians 1:11 and Ephesians 4:1
• Be an example of what we say we are - Live a life that is worthy of The Lord - Colossians 1:10

    And now we must consider: are we, indeed, fruitful branches in The Vine which is Christ? If we are, we must endeavor to continue to do so. And if you are not, what are you waiting for? You have received a personal invitation to be seated in Christ and He in you which requires a personal response from you. Come, come to Jesus Christ and be grafted into The Vine. Today is your day of salvation. 

PROOF OF YOUR LOVE - For King & Country 

BUILD MY LIFE - Pat Barrett and Cory Asbury 

LIVE FOR JESUS - Evie Tornquist

Statements of Faith - Worth Dying For

 

JOHN 3:16

For God so loved the world (you and I) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. 

Romans 5:8

But God commends (establishes) His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

    God thinks you and I are worth dying for. All He asks in return is that we live for Him.

    1 Peter 1:18-20

Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest (revealed) in these last times for you. Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him; and so your faith and hope are in God.

    Romans 12:1

Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

    Romans 6:16

Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness?

    Romans 10:13

For whosoever shall call upon The Name of The Lord shall be saved. 

    1 Corinthians 6:20, 21

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. 

    Isaiah 44:22

I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like a mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you. 

    Philippians 1:20

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have complete boldness so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

     

    I, too, eagerly and with great expectations, hope that I will in no way be ashamed when I stand before God and He judges me for the life I have lived. Every day I pray that God will use me for His glory, to advance His kingdom in whatsoever way He chooses to do so. 

BUILD MY LIFE - Pat Barrett

THIS IS AMAZING GRACE - Phil Wickham

SPIRIT LEAD ME 

    

Statements of Faith - I Delight Myself In The Lord

 

PSALM 37:4

Delight yourself in The LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

SPEND TIME WITH HIM IN PRAYER

Matthew 7:7, 8

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you

For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 

Matthew 6:9-13 is an example of prayer that Jesus gives His disciples. 

(9) Acknowledge Who God Is and that He is holy, recognize that we are not, then 

(10) Receive His kingdom [Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38], Surrender and submit to His will [Romans 12:1-3; Psalm 63]

(11) Ask for and receive that which God desires us to have daily

(12) Ask for forgiveness every day for the sins we have committed and receive it, because we are forgiving those who have sinned against us (don't retain bitterness, don't hold grudges against anyone), knowing that God will forgive us as much as we have forgiven others [Matthew 6:14; Mark 11:25]

(13) Pray for strength to withstand temptations and be separated from such [Luke 22:40; John 17:15; 1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:3)

MEDITATE IN THE LORD (ponder, think about)

Psalm 19:14

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 104:34

My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

STUDY HIS WORD

2 Timothy 2:15

Study to shew yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing The Word of Truth.

Ephesians 1:13

And in Him, having heard and believed The Word of Truth--the gospel of your salvation--you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. 

Ezra 7:10

For Ezra had set his heart to study The Law of The LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.

SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER Casting Crowns

WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE LORD 

ANCIENT WORDS  Robin Mark

GIVE ME WORDS TO SPEAK Aaron Shust

Statements of Faith - I Am The Light of The World

 

 

MATTHEW 5:14

You are the light of the world. A city lying on a hill is unable to be hidden.

    A Christian's life is more visible in the darkness of this world than any other. When we declare our differentness, we open ourselves up to be more carefully observed to see if we truly are living a different life than everyone else around us. 

    Are we living John 8:12 by faithfully following Jesus? In John 9:5 and John 12:36 Jesus told those who followed Him that He is the Light of the world BUT only while He was in the world. Before leaving He designated to His followers that if they really were following Him, they (the born again (John 3:3, 6) would become sons of light. We are filled with His Light because we have our Christ living in us! Wherever Jesus is, His Light is! 

    If we have Christ living in us and The Holy Spirit of God guiding us, then it will be impossible not to live a changed life, for our hearts have been changed and our mindset is being transformed day by day. When we remain in Him, breathing in and taking in His Word when we read it, change is inevitable. And change for the better, at that. 

    They who still live in darkness are changing, too. Except by refusing to see the Light of Christ, they sink ever deeper into the darkness of their comfort zones. It's scary becoming a Christian. Suddenly everyone you ever knew looks at you different. They know how you used to be, how you used to behave, how you used to dress, how you used to talk. The places you used to hang out you don't go to any more. You have a new hang out: the congregation of the saints. Wherever God's people are, you, the new Christian, are going to be found. 

    Your light is impacting their darkness. Some will be drawn to the light, like butterflies to nectar. Others will withdraw from the light that is in you, like shadows seeking the dark alleyways. Your light and The Holy Spirit within you reveals sin to them and convicts their sinful ways. All of a sudden, you are "persona non grata": unwanted and not welcome. 

    With such a Light burning in you and I it is impossible to not shine. A lighthouse on a clifftop is there to warn ships trying to sail into safe harbor that dangers lurks just ahead: hidden shoals, bulky rocks jutting out of the water or hidden just beneath it; reefs and cliffsides. In the thickness of fog or the darkness of night the lighthouse sends its brilliant beams of light constantly to prevent ships from crashing. So, too, does the faithful Christian. 

    We are the lighthouses of this world. Our Light is Christ Jesus. As long as we stand on The Word, our Lights will continue to shine. Even when we falter, and our light gets wobbly, we get back up again and raise our Light even higher that it may shine farther and wider. Our Lights travel all over this globe. And we will continue to shine until God either calls us home via death or raises us in the air via being caught up with Christ. 

NO OTHER NAME Planetshakers

WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE LORD Christ For The Nations

FIRE Eddie James 

FIRST THINGS FIRST  Consumed By Fire

 DRAW ME CLOSE TO YOU Michael W. Smith

GOD FOLLOWER  Steven Curtis Chapman

Statements of Faith - I Am Salt

 

Matthew 5:13

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

Colossians 4:6

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

    Salty foods make a person thirsty. In order for the child of God to be considered salt, our witness and our testimony must be evident every single day of our lives for the rest of our lives. If nobody can see the changes God is wreaking in our lives; if our words do not match our actions, then our salt has lost its savor: it is useless. We must be on the alert at all times to remain in Christ as He remains in us. God's Word is alive in us and we are in a constant state of motion on The Potter's wheel. 

    Salt preserves. It prevents rot and disease. When we are filled with The Word of God, we are filled with the salt of it. We don't want to go to heaven alone. We urge and plead with you who are even yet unknowing of the wonderful grace which God has prepared for you when you enter into a committed relationship with His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. Jesus is coming back soon for His church, His bride, to bring her to the heavenly home He has prepared for her (1 Thessalonians 4:17; Mark 13:32, 33; John 14:2).

    After Jesus had witnessed to the woman at the well, and His disciples returned with lunch, He was not hungry. When they questioned Him, His response was "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me and to finish His work." Being obedient to God's will is satisfying. And how did He finish the work which God had prepared for Him to do? John 19:30 "When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit." "It is finished" were the last words He spoke before He died on the cross. His work was done.     

    Our work, however, is not; for we are still here. We still preach the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ to all nations. We preach this gospel in our homes with the love of God being manifested in us and through us. We speak love into the hearts of ur spouses and our children and our grandchildren. We speak Jesus into tired bodies, lonely hearts, distressed and despairing lives and broken minds. We speak the love of God into our neighborhoods and our communities and our cities. 

    We preach Christ crucified and resurrected, the first of God's children to do so. A great number which cannot be calculated have followed that first resurrection (Hebrews 12:1) and many more will follow. Our work for God is done in the love of God (1 Corinthians 13). Anything done in The Name of The Lord but not the grace and love of God is just empty words and wasted actions. 

    Our walk in Christ must align with Christ's steps. When you see Jesus in me, hear His loving words fall from my lips and see the grace which is upon me, then you will know that God has and still is changing me. And, hopefully, you will want this love and grace in your life, too. 

Matthew 5:6

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

SUFFICIENT FOR TODAY - TRIBL 

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

LORD I NEED YOU 

OPEN THE EYES OF MY HEART LORD 

 

Statements of Faith - Purchased

 

 

ACTS 20:28

Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.

    This is a gentle reminder to the church leaders not only to the church in Ephesus, but to church leaders everywhere even in this present time. For The Word of God is alive and ever flowing, like streams of living water flowing into His trees of righteousness, strengthening us and causing us to grow: in Him and in each other. 

    Jeremiah 3:15 tells us what the shepherds of God's people will be like: "Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding."

    John 21:15-19 shows us how Jesus reinstated Peter into the twelve after Peter's denial and Jesus' resurrection. Through Christ's neverending love and mercy, He was able to reveal to Peter not only what his life was to be about, but also his death. 

    God wants His shepherds, His church leaders, to have hearts like His heart: to seek and to save the lost; to have and to show the love of God by our words and our actions; to have knowledge and understanding of God's Holy Word that we might be able to share It with His wisdom, His Holy Spirit, active in us. 

    Every born again believer has been purchased by God with the blood of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. We are not our own: we have been bought from sin and its punishment at great cost: the blood of Jesus Christ. 

    Hebrews 9:14

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

    Matthew 26:28

For this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 

    This blood of my Jesus covers me. Now when I face God on my day of judgment, God will not see this fleshly body in which I currently dwell: He will see His Son and I will dwell in the house of The Lord forever. 

    What will God see when He looks at you on your day of judgment? 

Romans 10:8-10, 13

(8) But what does it say? “The Word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, The Word of Faith we are proclaiming: 

(9) that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

(10) For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved. 

(13) For whosoever shall call upon The Name of The Lord shall be saved.

    I am a whosoever. Are you?

    

SINCE YOUR LOVE - United Pursuit 

I AM NOT MY OWN - Keith & Krystin Getty

NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD - Jars of Clay

COVERED - Planetshakers

Statements of Faith - I Am Redeemed & Forgiven

 

 

EPHESIANS 1:7

In Whom we have redemption through His blood,

the forgiveness of sins,

according to the riches of His grace. 

GRACE THAT IS GREATER - Don Moen 

    

    Psalm 130:7

O Israel, put your hope in The LORD, for with The LORD is loving devotion, and with Him is redemption in abundance. 

    Acts 2:38

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of The Holy Spirit."

    Acts 20:28

Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which The Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood. 

    Romans 3:21-25

(21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets.

(22)And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, 

(23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

(24) and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

(25) God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.

    Acts 17:30

Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.

REDEEMED - Big Daddy Weave

    Why do I talk about Jesus so much? Why would I ever stop? It's because of His grace that I am who I am today. Jesus redeemed us with His blood and forgave us with His grace. His redeeming power and transformative forgiveness set me on the path of righteousness and holiness, which I continue to walk in today. 

    It is an old path and a narrow one. Not everyone will choose to walk with Jesus; a mind-boggling thought and a sad one. But the constraints of holiness give freedom in the liberty of The Holy Spirit. Freedom from dark thoughts, freedom from every form of addiction, freedom from the chains of sin. Freedom  in Christ Who died for us. 

    God's people love to talk about their God and how He redeemed us with the blood of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. We love to testify, tell about how He changed us from the sinful person we once were into the person He is transforming us into. 

I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY   - Katherine Hankey

Verse 1

I love to tell the story of unseen things above,

Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.

I love to tell the story, because I know ’tis true;

It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.

Chorus

I love to tell the story, ’twill be my theme in glory,

To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.

Verse 2

I love to tell the story; more wonderful it seems

Than all the golden fancies of all our golden dreams.

I love to tell the story, it did so much for me;

And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee.

Verse 3

I love to tell the story; ’tis pleasant to repeat

What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet.

I love to tell the story, for some have never heard

The message of salvation from God’s own holy Word.

Verse 4

I love to tell the story, for those who know it best

Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.

And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,

’Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.

Statements of Faith - The Seed of Abraham

 

ROMANS 9:6-8 

It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.” (Genesis 21:12). 

So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, 

but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring. 

    Like Abraham, I have not seen Jesus, The Promise, face to face. But also like Abraham, I believe God and that God's Word is Faithful and True. (Revelation 21:5).

 I believe that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, that He is God's only begotten Son (John 3:16) Who died on the cross for me and rose from the dead ahead of me. (1 Corinthians 15:20). I have called upon The Name of The LORD for my salvation. I acknowledged my sins and my iniquities and my transgressions to God and God forgives me and calls me His own. (Romans 10:9-13; John 1:12). 

    By grace am I saved through faith in The Name of The LORD. (Ephesians 2:4-10). 

Acts 15:11

 "On the contrary, we believe it is through the grace of The LORD Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

1 Peter 1:3-5

Blessed be The God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 

    There is no better time than now to give your heart and surrender your life to God through Christ Jesus than now, today. So, we say, Come. Come to the altar upon which the sacrifice of God was laid and see Jesus on the cross dying for you and I. Come to the garden and see the empty tomb where He had lain, for He is not there: He is Risen!

    Come and be baptized into His Name and be filled with His Holy Spirit that you, too, may walk in the strength of The LORD forever. Come, let us go and see Jesus. 

I FEEL JESUS - Carman

COVERED - Planetshakers

BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD