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

No Claim

 

 John 14:30

"I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming, and he has no claim on me."

Revelation 5:1-10

Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the One seated on the throne. It had writing on both sides and was sealed with seven seals.

And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”

But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look inside it.

And I began to weep bitterly, because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look inside it.

Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

And He came and took the scroll from the right hand of the One seated on the throne.

When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song:

'Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth.'

By His death the Son of God overcame sin. While He was dead the Son of God overcame death, hell and the grave. After His death He rose to life; walking out of the grave, into the garden and into the city streets. And after many days ascended into heaven where He sits at the right hand of the Father, interceding for His people until He returns to bring us all home with Him. 

In the end the prince of this world will be conquered and thrown into the lake of fire, along with those he has deceived. You don't want to go there. You don't want anyone you know to go there. 

Now is the time to pray for the people we love, the people we like, the people we know; we pray for the strangers in our communities, the people who come against us because we are Christ's own. Now is the time to pray for our families: our parents, our children, our siblings, our aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews and cousins. 

We pray for those in government at every level, from the mayor of our city to the ruler of our country at the highest level. We pray for ourselves to remain steadfast in His Word, that His love may remain in us and we in Him. 

Now is the time to pray for strength to endure, love that overcomes, and a hope that perseveres. Not just for ourselves but for they for whom we pray. 

We who belong to Christ live in the Authority of Christ. Satan has no claim on us, either. 

I belong to Jesus!

I belong to Him!

I belong to Jesus!

Free from sin!

Lion of Judah

Anatomy of The Heart

     When we think of how we make decisions and choices in our lives, we think of the mind as creating thought and the heart as something that must be followed. When in all actuality it is through the heart that all decisions, all thought, all follow-through is done.
     

The spirit-heart starts out black, because we view sin as black/dark. Only the Light of God's Love, Jesus Christ, can turn the heart from black/dark to gold/light.

When we first come to knowledge of the saving grace of God through the cross on which His only begotten Son Jesus Christ died, the blood which Jesus shed is applied to the darkness of our hearts. We call this being saved.

We also call this not enough to live holy. God calls us to holiness in our every day lives because He is holy and He cannot be in the same room as sin, because sin is rebelliousness to God and God's Holy Word. Therefore, we also need God's Holy Spirit to continually work on the darkness of our hearts, like water forming and shaping the rocks in a body of water: constantly flowing, never-ending shifting over and around and through us: making us holy and filling us ever more with God's Light and Love.

But that takes time and effort. Time to allow the Holy Spirit to deconstruct the darkness and construct us into honorable friends of God, holy and acceptable to Him.

First, the heart is washed clean by the Blood of God's Lamb, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the world. 

Anyone who believes that Jesus Christ is LORD is saved. Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved." That is when the blood is applied to the heart because Romans 10:8-10 "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: that if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him out from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved." 

Why do we want to speak out our salvation? Why not? There is nothing to be ashamed of: but there is everything to rejoice aloud! 

So we see here in these three verses that the heart makes the decision to believe and the mouth speaks what is in the heart. 

But the heart had to be able to hear the Word before the Spirit could apply the Word in the heart. How did the heart hear the Word?

So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ. Romans 10:17

The Word that was preached, the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ, who died on the cross in our stead, was buried and rose from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of the Father is the Word that the heart did hear and receive upon believing this to be truth. 

Our spiritually anatomically correct heart does not stop there, though.  We now know that our hearts can think, and hear so let us continue our journey through The Word. 

Because the heart is the decision maker, it is also the place of understanding, where wisdom is applied; therefore the heart can also see: 

Ephesians 1:16-19 "I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened (shine brightly), so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength."

Job 42:5 "My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen You." Proverbs 18:15 "The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks it out." Whether discernment or hearing, it is the heart doing the work.

     Through Psalm 34:8 we see that our hearts have mouths, as it is impossible to taste or chew without a mouth. 

"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" And again in Hebrews 6:4-5 "It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened (shone brightly), who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit---who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age--..." 

     The heart also drinks in through the mouth the Living Water that comes from Christ Jesus. In Matthew 5:5 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled." And again in John 7:38 "Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’” These 'streams of living water'? The Holy Spirit. John 7:39 "He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified." 

     We could say that our spirit-heart resembles this:

It is a busy heart, indeed. And when the heart has accomplished all which God has set forth for it to do, the heart will be holy and pure and acceptable to God the Father, ready to be in His eternal holy presence. 

Blood Sacrifice

As I recall from my studies, Easter is actually everything about the rabbit and the eggs; none of it good, or for children. What began as idolatry and human sacrifice has been watered down over time to colored eggs and chocolate. JESUS has nothing to do with Easter!

The calendar we follow is one set up by the Romans. We should be following the one set up by GOD. Good Friday is not really good; JESUS did not die on Friday; HE died on Thursday. Because it was Passover, the Sabbath began on Thursday night and not Friday. JESUS was in the grave for three days. It was on the third day, that GOD rolled the stone away and JESUS walked out of the grave and into the garden.

It is a much different sacrifice from the spring celebration of new life, which worshiped the goddess Ester. JESUS died for us, so we wouldn’t have to die in our sins.

It is not our blood that brings new life: it is CHRIST’S blood which gives new life. His blood is applied to our sins, not just to cover them up, but to wash them away permanently. Permanently! GOD not only forgives sin, HE forgets sin. Imagine being able to forgive and forget when someone sins against you!

We read in Isaiah 53 about THE MESSIAH: (1)Who has believed our report? And to whom is THE ARM OF THE LORD revealed? (2) For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, And as a root out of a dry ground: He has no form nor comeliness; And when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire HIM. (3) HE is despised and rejected of men; A MAN OF SORROWS, and acquainted with grief: And we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. (4) Surely HE has borne our griefs, And carried our sorrows: Yet we did esteem HIM stricken, Smitten of GOD, and afflicted. (5) But HE was wounded for our transgressions, HE was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon HIM; And with HIS stripes we are healed.

That’s my JESUS. By HIS stripes I am healed. My sins are washed away by the blood of GOD’S LAMB. Every time that cat-o-nine tore through HIS back, ripping away not just the epidermis but into the muscles and bone, HE took it: for me, for you. When they crowned HIM with thorns, it was not just set atop HIS brow, but pushed into HIS head so harshly that blood flowed. The Roman soldiers threw a robe around HIS bleeding body, and pretended to worship HIM as their king, then ripped it off, causing the wounds on HIS back to flow even more profusely.

(6) All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned every one to his own way; And THE LORD has laid on HIM the iniquity of us all. (7) HE was oppressed, and HE was afflicted, Yet HE opened not HIS mouth: HE is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, So HE opens not HIS mouth. (8) HE was taken from prison and judgment: And who shall declare HIS generation? For HE was cut off from the land of the living: For the transgression of my people was HE stricken. (9) And HE made HIS grave with the wicked, And with the rich in HIS death; Because HE had done no violence, Neither was there any guile in HIS mouth.

That’s my JESUS. HE did not defend HIMSELF. HE never sinned in any form, yet HE died a sinner’s death. HE was brought up on false charges and declared guilty by mob rule. The crowd gathered to see HIM die, cried out “HIS blood be upon us and upon our children!” ( Matthew 27:25). And so it is. HIS blood is on me. And on some of you. Would that HIS blood was on all of us, and not just some of us.

But to get the blood applied, a person must first acknowledge their sins. Repent (turn away from) of their sins and ask forgiveness from GOD for their sins. A person must believe wholeheartedly that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD and that HE is GOD’S ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, that HE died on the cross, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and is coming back again. For GOD’S WORD IS FAITHFUL AND TRUE. All of it.

John 3:16, a most beloved verse around the world: For GOD so loved the world, that HE gave HIS only begotten SON that whosoever believes on HIM should not perish, but have everlasting life.

I have everlasting life because I believe. I want you to have this everlasting life, too. But I can’t force you to make this choice, because it is just that: a choice. We are each born with the ability to choose and make decisions that affect our lives. This choice regarding salvation through JESUS CHRIST will determine not only how we live our life, but where we will go when this part of life is passed. I would not have you ignorant on the matter. Your blood is not on my hands now. Had I not told you about my JESUS, I would have been held guilty for you dying in your sins. I love you and I want to take you to heaven with me.

That’s my JESUS and I’m sticking to HIM.

Redemption Through His Blood

If this photo or message offends you, we need to talk.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places (things) in Christ:
According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love:
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He has made us accepted in the beloved.
In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.
Ephesians 1:3-7

For by grace are we saved through faith; and that not of ourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any one should boast.
Ephesians 2:8,9

You and I, our families, our neighbors, our communities, our enemies, the strangers among us have all been chosen BEFORE THE EARTH EVEN EXISTED to be a part of God's family. How AWESOME IS OUR GOD!! You have a place at God's table in God's home BECAUSE JESUS MADE A WAY for us to be with God His Father and with Himself.

God has chosen us to be holy and without blame. Us. Not of anything we did, but simply because He loves us EVEN BEFORE WE WERE BORN. Right here in these few verses in Ephesians we can see and read how much God loves us and how blessed we are in Him. Or rather, how blessed we could be in Him. See, if you believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God and that He died on the cross and God raised Him from the dead, then you have the spiritual blessings which are spoken of in the first verse I mentioned.

Still, if you have not yet believed, these blessings could be yours when you do. See, even the unbeliever has been called to salvation. For before we who believe became sons and daughters of God through the adoption by Jesus Christ into God's family, we, too, walked in darkness and were lost in sin. But God loves the whole world and desires that none be lost.
Having that desire to see all of mankind saved from eternal destruction within God's heart, then it is He who predestinates our calling into His plan of salvation through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ.

"According to the good pleasure of His will" It is God's will that all be saved. However, it is not man's will that they be saved. God cannot force a person to receive the gift He has offered. I can give you a present, but unless you accept it and open it, then you have not received it. Once opened, it is your responsibility to decide whether or not you will keep it and use it. The same goes for the gifts of God: you and I are responsible to accept the gift, it is our decision whether or not we will.

"To the praise of the glory of His grace" Amazing grace/how sweet the sound/that saved a wretch like me/I once was lost/but now I'm found/was blind/but now I see. Grace that is greater than all my sin, greater than all the sins of the world from time till time is no more. We sing about grace, we praise God for His grace, but do you know what the grace of God is?

The anagram of GRACE is: God's Riches At Christ's Expense. Grace is what keeps God from destroying the people who hate Him. Grace is what prevents us from dying in our sins. Grace is God's love in action through the life and death and life eternal of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ.

Grace is mercy and forgiveness and compassion and hope and love and allows us to repent of our sins against God and receive His forgiveness on those sins, never again remembering them. Do not think that God keeps reminding you of past sins; for He cannot as He does not remember them once He has forgiven you for them. It is Satan; his very name-Satan-means accuser. He accuses us constantly in his attempts to draw us away from God. The enemy loves to tear down God's people. However, if you have not repented of the sin that has come to your thoughts, it may well be that The Holy Spirit is bringing you under conviction and calling you to repent of those sins. And once you do, God will forgive you. And bring you one step closer to His side.

We are accepted by God in His beloved Son Jesus Christ. When we pray, we end every prayer with "in Jesus' Name" for a reason. God's Word has given us directions on how to pray to God so that our prayers get answered. Every direction begins and ends with Jesus Christ. We must be IN HIM first and foremost, for God to hear us at all. If you are not a believer, then you are not IN HIM at all. God answers the prayers of the righteous. WE do not determine righteousness: God does. Jesus is the righteousness which covers us when we believe. Upon belief, not only are we adopted into God's family, but we are now IN JESUS' NAME.

For IN HIS NAME is Righteousness; is Hope; is Peace; is Salvation; is Strength; is Love; is Wisdom; is Redeemer, Judge, Defender, Warrior, Savior. Look back to the studies I have sent you on JESUS NAME and you will begin to see through new eyes Who Jesus Is. It is why I began that study in the first place. When I say 'in Jesus' Name', I want to know what I am saying. I needed to fully understand and be aware of the impact of my words. For words have power in and of themselves. It is why we should think before we speak: words can break down and destroy; words can build up and restore.

"In Whom we have redemption through His blood" Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life though Jesus Christ our Lord. ~ Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. ~ Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call His Name JE'SUS: for He shall save His people from their sins. ~ Romans 3:23-25 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by His Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation (atonement) through Faith in His Blood, to declare His Righteousness for the remission (pardon; forgiveness; mercy) of sins that are past, through the forbearance (patient endurance; choosing to not mete out judgment) of God. ~

What can wash away my sins? NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS.



So, did you enjoy our talk? Let's do this again some time. Love you. 

We Need The Blood of Jesus Christ

to wash away our sins. For

without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins....

It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens

should be purified with these; 

but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands,

which are the figures of the true;

but into the presence of God for us:

Nor yet that He should offer Himself often,

as the high priest enters into the holy place 

every year with the blood of others;

for then must He often have suffered 

since the foundation of the world:

But now once in the end of the world

has He appeared to put away sin by

the sacrifice of Himself.

And as it is appointed unto men once to die,

but after this the judgment:

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many;

and unto them that look for Him 

shall He appear the second time without sin

unto salvation.

Hebrews 9:22-28

....Repent, and be baptized every one of you in The Name of Jesus Christ 

for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift

of The Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you,

and to your children, and to all that are 

afar off, even as many as The Lord our God shall call...

Acts 2:38, 39

For God so loved the world, that He gave 

His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes

in Him should not perish, but have

everlasting life. For God sent 

not His Son into the world to condemn the world,

but that the world through Him might be saved.

John 3:16, 17

~Some churches have taken songs and hymns about the blood of Jesus Christ

out of their worship services. You know why?

Yep. It offends the people who come into these churches 

to hear about the blood which was shed by Christ on Calvary.~

Truth be told, if you are offended by the blood of Christ, 

then you are under conviction by The Holy Spirit of God, 

for your sins. You need to repent of your wicked ways

and turn your heart to God;

turn your face to the floor in humility 

and raise your hands in surrender:

TO GOD.

For it is God you have offended by your words,

by your actions. Better it would have been for you

had you not turned your back on God's gift 

to this world: His Son.

For the gift of God is freely given to all.

Yet, many reject this gift.

Many deny this gift was ever given.

Many do not believe that God even exists, 

therefore how can Christ's death and resurrection?

You are fools, the lot of you.

You need to repent.

Quickly now.

Before it  is too late.

Before your name is called

to the throne of judgment 

and you must need answer for 

your decision:

Accept Christ as God's only begotten Son

who was born for the sole purpose of 

shedding His blood on the cross

for the sins of the world,

and rising up out of the grave

into life ever lasting.

In His lifetime, Jesus

showed us how to overcome temptation;

draw close to God;

fast and pray;

forgive sin;

live a righteous and holy life;

heal the sick;

raise the dead; 

and

testify the gospel of salvation

to all the world. 

If we confess our sins {to GOD}, 

He is faithful and just to forgive us 

from all unrighteousness.

If we say that we have not sinned, 

we make Him a liar,

and His Word {JESUS} is not in us. 

1 John 1:9, 10

Jesus said to him, 

I am the way, the truth and the life:

no man comes to The Father, 

but by Me.

John 14:6

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise,

as some men count slackness;

but is longsuffering to us,

not willing that any should perish,

but that ALL should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

For whosoever shall call upon The Name of The Lord

shall be saved.

Romans 10:13

The Blood by Carman

Caleb's Song

CALEB'S SONG

I AM A WARRIOR

I WILL FIGHT FOR YOU

I AM A FIGHTER

I WILL DIE FOR YOU

I WILL TAKE UP MY SWORD

AGAINST OUR ENEMY

I WILL LIFT UP MY SHIELD

FOR HIS ATTACKS ON ME

FOR I SEE WITH MY HEART

AND I RUN WITH MY SPIRIT

ONTO THE BATTLEFIELD

CARNAGE EVERYWHERE

I WANT THAT MOUNTAIN

GOD GAVE IT TO ME

EVERY STEP I TAKE

FOR ALL ETERNITY

I CAN FIGHT THE GIANTS

I CAN WRESTLE THEM

BUT IF THEIR SEEDS STILL LIVE

I WON'T WIN

I AM A WARRIOR

I GO TO BATTLE FOR YOU

I AM A FIGHTER

I WILL FIGHT FOR YOU

I HAVE MADE MY STAND

AND I WON'T RETREAT

TILL YOU REMOVE YOUR HAND

AWAY FROM ME

FOR I SEE WITH MY HEART

AND I RUN WITH MY SPIRIT

ONTO THE MOUNTAINTOP

GLORY EVERYWHERE

I CAN SEE YOU CLEARLY

I CAN HEAR YOUR VOICE

I CAN KNEEL IN WONDER

THAT YOU'VE MADE ME YOUR CHOICE

I AM SERVANT

TO THE MOST HIGH GOD

I AM HUMBLED

BY THE MOST HIGH GOD

UNDER THE WEIGHT OF YOUR GLORY

I AM PRESSED

AND IN THE SHADOW OF MERCY

I AM BOWED

IN THE TRUTH OF REFLECTION

I SEE MY NEED

FOR YOU

ONLY YOU

YOU ARE THE MOST HIGH GOD

AND YOU SEE ME

YOU LOVE ME

YOU SAVE ME

EVERYDAY

MORE OF YOU

ON MY MOUNTAINTOP

MORE OF YOU

IN MY MOUNTAIN VIEW

MORE OF YOU

WHEN I STAKE MY CLAIM

ON WHAT YOU

HAVE GIVEN ME

I AM YOUR WARRIOR

I HAVE FOUGHT FOR YOU

I AM YOUR SERVANT

AND I HAVE LIVED FOR YOU

I AM YOUR CHILD,

I AM YOUR SEED,

YOU LIVE IN ME.

refresh

Kept and Saved

Kept and Saved

I am Christian;

Watch me soar.

See my broken body

On the floor.

I've been sifted;

The chaff has blown away.

All that remains is what Christ

has kept and saved!

Kept by His Love,

Saved by His Blood!

All that remains is what Christ

has kept and saved!

We are the Church;

Watch us soar.

See our broken heart

On the floor.

We've been sifted;

The chaff has blown away.

All that remains is what Christ

has kept and saved!

Kept by His Love,

Saved by His Blood!

All that remains is what Christ

has kept and saved!

(by Me)