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 

    

The Death of The Saints

    

    King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, "To everything there is a season....a time to be born, a time to die...". We celebrate the births and mourn the deaths. Yet when a saint dies, we should celebrate that death, for they have been called home. Coming home after a long journey is always cause for happy times.

~It is a time of rest; of laying aside the cares of our days.

~It is a time of peace, never to know pain, sorrow, anxiety again.

~It is a time of joy; of being received into the everlasting arms of Jesus and God.

~The death of the saints is a time of temporary sorrow, grief and mourning on our part (though it may feel as if it will last forever), for we will miss them during our lifetime here, but it is with great joy that we know that we will see them again in heaven.

~Psalm 116:15 "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints."

    The births that get celebrated in the kingdom of God are the new births in Christ: the adoptee into God's family through the blood of His only begotten Son, Who died on the cross to pay for our sins. For it is only through the blood that the adoption process can begin.

1. We need to believe that Jesus Christ died for us. That He conquered/overcame, death, hell and the grave when He walked out of the tomb in which He was buried.

2. We need to acknowledge our sins to God, repenting of them (turn away from them and never do them again). It's not enough to have a changed life, we need a changed heart, as well.

3. We need to ask for God's Holy Spirit to come into our lives, to make us the holy people God commands us to be. For we cannot be made holy by doing anything mere man tells us to do: it's all God.

4. We need to be baptized publicly: making a bold statement to the world that we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord of all and now He is Lord of the one who has been baptized.

5. We need to follow the lead of The Holy Spirit of God: not just reading our Bibles every day, but studying The Word, as well. Knowing that when we understand what we have been studying, we can then apply it to our lives. Without The Holy Spirit it is impossible to live a God-filled life, a changed life. A life that is lived for Jesus must have Jesus in it.

    This is how we come into God's family. This is our adoption process. We are the lineage of Abraham: children of righteousness, people of faith and trust in God. Not only are we grafted into The Vine, but we are now in God's family tree. We are the planting of The Lord, trees of righteousness.

Believe it. Receive it. Live it.

I WILL RAISE IN LIFE TRIUMPHANT

by Mary Barker Spencer

1. The tree of life’s still standing and all who will may eat.

Come and dine is still the call. The place is Jesus' feet.

The crimson cleansing fountain yet is flowing from His side.

His holiness still beckons us to heed His humble cry.

-chorus-

I will raise in life triumphant!

I will let hosannas roll!

I will drink that Living Water that shall ever flood my soul!

I will worship crying, "Holy"!

For worthy is The Lamb

Slain from the foundation of the world

Just so I can. 2. Oh grave, where is your victory? Oh death, where is your sting?

For the God of all creation has swallowed you to bring

My life to me immortal back with Him from Calvary.

In the valley of the shadow there’s a brilliant light for me!

-chorus-

I will raise in life triumphant!

I will let hosannas roll!

I will drink that Living Water that shall ever flood my soul!

I will worship crying, "Holy"!

For worthy is The Lamb

Slain from the foundation of the world

Just so I can.

A Crucified Life - - Preserves Its Integrity

 

2 Corinthians 6:9

As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2198

We Live: I live, I am alive

From the Greek word 'zaó' (pronounced dzah'-o): to experience God's gift of life. To thrive in His gift. 

    Though not recognized in this world we are known by God, who not only sees His people but speaks to us, walks with us, works with and through us. He is our Defender, Provider and Sanctifier

    In this world our bodies are subject to death and its causes. But having the Living Word of God living in us and us in Him, we know that we live. We live to Christ, for Christ, in Christ. Therefore, when we no longer need these bodies, they will simply slough away, leaving only our spirit which will rise to meet Jesus, whether in death or life. 

    In this world we are persecuted on every side. We are mocked for our faith. We are tortured for what we believe. We are pelted with stones when we refuse to stop sharing the gospel or speaking the Name of Jesus. We are scattered abroad when our homes are burned and we have only the clothes on our backs. We are killed for His Name's sake. And yet we live. 

    We have Christ Jesus and that's enough. 

PRESERVING INTEGRITY

Hosanna - Paul Baloche

My Jesus, My Savior 

Glorious Day - Casting Crowns

In Christ Alone - Kristian Stanfill

Man of Sorrows - Hillsong

Nothing But The Blood - Leah Mari

Secure In You - Songlab

In Jesus' Name - Darlene Zschech

    

A Crucified Life - - Lives For Christ

 

2 Corinthians 5:15

And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2198

Live: I live, am alive

From the Greek word 'zaó' (pronounced dzah'-o): to live, experience God's gift of life. To live a moral life, have a Christ-like character. 

    A life of devotion to Christ, a consecrated set-apart life lived in Christ as He lives in us. We are His temple, His dwellingplace not made with hands.

>Colossians 4:2 "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."

>2 Timothy 2:21 "So if anyone cleanses himself of what is unfit, he will be a vessel for honor: sanctified, useful to the Master, and prepared for every good work."

>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."

    A life that lives for Jesus loves Jesus and God and everyone else. True Love that comes from God and a relationship with God cannot hate anyone. For hate is sin; sin has no place in the body of Christ. Sin and all it contains is a blemish, a spot, a stain on the body. When it makes itself known, it needs to be removed immediately. Repentance washes the sin away and watchfulness keeps it away. 

>Colossians 1:22 "Yet now He has reconciled you to Himself through the death of Christ in His physical body. As a result, He has brought you into His own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Him without a single fault."

    God is looking for a perfect church. Not perfect the way the world defines it, but perfect in Him and in His Word. Living for Jesus is living for God through God's Word. When His Word is in us, we want to live for Christ. We can't help it: we love Him so much for what He has done for us! 

    A life lived for Christ is a holy life. That's what it means to be set apart. Our faith in Christ separates from the rest of the world which lives for itself and its own desires. We live for Christ, choosing to be obedient to God our heavenly Father above what we desired when we lived for our own pleasures in the world. Now we choose to please God.

>Ephesians 1:4-5 "For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will."

>Leviticus 20:7 "Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am the LORD your God."

>Hebrews 12:4 "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord."

    A life lived for Christ chooses to abstain from sexual immorality. By living for Christ we obediently bring our sexual appetites into submission to the Word of God. We cannot be sexually immoral and still expect to call ourselves Christians.

>Romans 8:5 "Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit."

    Fornication, adultery, homosexuality, bestiality are all sexual sins and are abhorred by God. He has chosen us to be His people and He demands that His people be holy and set apart from sexual immorality. We are to live morally strong lives which begin in our hearts. Mere desires to be free from sexual impurity is not enough. We need the Spirit of God living in us, for it is He who imparts the wisdom of God in the Word to us who believe.

    A life lived for Christ spends time with Christ. I have noticed that when I watch the clock, time passes slowly. But when I am in the Word, studying it out for myself, time passes without me being aware of it. And before I know it 3 hours, 4 hours, even 6 hours have passed by and it doesn't even feel like I have been studying that long. How awesome is that?!

>Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 tells us that there is a time for everything. 

>Mark 14:38 "Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” 

    Watch and Pray. Watch out! for the devil is sneaky in his temptings to us. Pray for strength to overcome temptations. Pray for wisdom and discernment that we may know what is morally right and live the life God has prepared for us to live. Pray for the love of God to fill us so full that there is no room for sin to enter in and take hold of us. Pray to God just to hear His voice, to know that He is near. 

    Watch from the fortress of His righteousness, that we may see the enemy of our souls attacking from a distance, that we may sound the alarms to the others to come and battle with us. A life lived for Christ is an embattled life. But we fight on our knees, in submission and humbleness of heart to God, with our hands folded or lying prostrate before Him. We pour our hearts out to God and He pours Himself into us. 

>Ephesians 6:10 A life lived for Christ is strong in its Lord and the power of His might. 

    A life lived for Christ is better than a life lived without Christ. I know. I've lived both and I prefer to live for Christ.

LIVES FOR CHRIST

The Lord Is My Salvation - Keith & Kristyn Getty

I Am Not My Own - Keith & Kristyn Getty

My Jesus, My Savior  

Give Me Jesus - Fernando Ortega

Because He Lives - Classic Hymn

Above All - Lenny LeBlanc

Only There - Shane & Shane

Better Than Life - Phil Wickham

Different - Micah Tyler

More - Red Rocks Worship

Magnificent Obsession - Steven Curtis Chapman

Remember To Remember - Steven Curtis Chapman

Abide With Me

1 Samuel 22:23 “Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeks my life seeks your life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.”

John 15:4-7,10-11 “(4) Abide in Me, and I and in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in Me. (5) I am The Vine, you are the branches: He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing. (6) If a man abide not in Me, he is cast fort as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (7) If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you....(10) If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, abide in His love. (11) These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

1 John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.”

Abide: dwell, remain, settle, marry, continue to dwell in, inhabit in, bring again to place, remain, return; to stay in a given place, state, relation or expectancy, endure, be present, remain, dwell, be present, stand, tarry for.

(The first definitions are for the word 'abide' in The Old Testament and the second for The New Testament, regarding the three verses given)

     Do you realize as we have studied this together that all three Persons in the Trinity are referred to here? And that born again Christians are they who remain in the branch referred to in John 15? Living for Jesus and living in Jesus are the same. Just being a nice person or glorifying yourself with 'acts of kindness' are not growing you in Jesus. Once you become a born again Christian, it is up to you to open your Bible and read God's Word every day. Do you know that sometimes I get caught up in reading and studying I lose track of time? My husband's day begins at 5 am and ends at 9 pm. He leaves here at 5:30 am and gets back home around 4 pm. One day when I was deep study, he came home and I said, “What are you doing home so early?” and he just gave me a funny look, so I looked at the clock on my computer. Yup. It was 4 pm. His normal return home time. Eight hours of pure bliss had passed through the clock, but to me it was as if I had barely started. Those days are rare and deeply coveted.

     Abiding in Christ is a glorious way to go through life. No one's life is perfect. No one can obtain pure delight in their alone time unless they are alone with Jesus. Being alone by yourself without Jesus, in the chaos of your thoughts, can bring you down. But being alone with Jesus, chaos flees, for it doesn't stand a chance where the Light shines; chaos is darkness and death; Jesus is light and life.

     My life is not perfect, but my Savior is. It is His perfection that lives in me by faith, by believing on Him for my Lord and Savior. Every thing that Jesus Christ is, lives in me by faith in Him. I may not always let His light shine through, but every time I repent of this, I get stronger. I do not want to be cut off from The Branch, nor thrown into the fire. I read God's Word, and keep God's Word in my heart, and am actively applying God's Word to my life, including my family and my children in this, for they are in my life, too.

     Yes, you can memorize Scripture, either passages or individual verses; you can know all The Books of The Bible in order and still not know Jesus Christ. You can go to church, hear the preacher's sermon, and walk right out that door living the same old life you always lived. You have not changed because you have not listened, nor applied the message of salvation that was preached. Our actions determine our outcomes when we hear God's Word spoken or preached.

     If we feel a prick in our thoughts, or our heart, when we hear the message given, and do nothing, our hearts become harder and our ears deafer; we have only strengthened our resolve not to give in to weakness. For that is how some people view born again Christians, people too weak to stand on their own that they must need God to stand for them. Oh you fools! It is the weak God uses to bring down the fool. It is the weak God uses to reach the prideful, the annoyed, the depressed, the confused, the rich, the poor, the sanctimonious, the politician, the lobbyist, the doctor, the lawyer, the lost, the found. It is the weak in themselves who are strong in Christ. It is the weak who admit they are weak who come to the altar and kneel before God to repent of their wicked ways, their sins, and receive forgiveness from God and acceptance into His family. At that moment the weak become strong. For Jesus is now living in their hearts through their faith in and on Him. His blood has washed away the sins repented of and now the weak which you decry are made strong in Him who was crucified and rose from the grave.

     Abide in Him and Him only, as I and my family abide in Him and Him only. For each person who comes to God and believes on The Name of His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ for salvation must work out their own after they believe. Which means you and I and every other believer must learn to live in Jesus. He already knows how to live in us, but we are learning to live in Him. This is why no two Christians are alike: each is responsible for their own growth, for seeking to grow in the things of God, for seeking to grow in The Word of God: searching His Word, in prayer and love, on how to be more like Jesus.

     Do you know God's perfect will for your life? Me, either. But I do know that God's first will for any one's life is be saved. 1 Timothy 2:4 “Who will have all men to be saved; and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” So, what is truth? John 14:6 “And Jesus said unto them, “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man comes unto The Father but by Me.” Jesus is Truth. So, 'to come unto the knowledge of the truth', is to come to know Jesus, to believe Jesus, to learn to live in Jesus as He lives in us, when we believe.

     If you want to know God's will for your life after you are saved, then I expect you will study His Word. If you are not able to access a Bible where you live, while there are many Bible sites, I would recommend Bible Hub Library . This is the one my husband and I use to study with; it has more tools than I have on my bookshelf. And it's free to use by any one. As I walk through The Word in my study times, I will continue to share what I receive.