Thanks Dick Duerksen

David just showed up this morning. He clocked out of sheep watching to deliver bread and cheese to his brothers on the battle-front. That’s where David hears Goliath defying God,. . . .

Read the first words he spoke, not just in the battle, but in the Bible: “David asked the men standing near him, ‘What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?’” (1 Sam. 17:26 niv).

David shows up discussing God. The soldiers mentioned nothing about him, the brothers never spoke his name, but David takes one step onto the stage and raises the subject of the living God. . . .

No one else discusses God. David discusses no one else but God. . . .

David sees what others don’t and refuses to see what others do. All eyes, except David’s, fall on the brutal, hate-breathing hulk. . . . The people know his taunts, demands, size, and strut. They have majored in Goliath.

David majors in God. He sees the giant, mind you; he just sees God more so. Look carefully at David’s battle cry: “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel” (1 Sam. 17:45).

Lord God, train us to walk on your path. Teach us to see you in situations that are dangerous and difficult. Like David, when we are surrounded by overwhelming challenges may our thoughts and words turn first to you. Rather than discuss the problem, remind us to discuss you. May our first thought in the morning and our last thought at night be centered on you. Rather than worry about the impossibilities, let us major in your mighty power. When we am tempted to look at the giants in our lives, we will choose to look at you, amen.

Celebrate  by asking Jesus to come into your heart this very moment!

Today is the day of Salvation!  1John 5:11-13

Jesus will make you just like Him.

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.  1John 3:2, 2 Corinthians 3:18.

And what is Jesus like?

Jesus  is Steadfast unfailing Love, a Love that will hold you together and never forsake you!!

When I thought, “My foot slips,”
your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. Psalms 94:18

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸ He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1John 4:7-8

The facts are that everyone will know that we are disciples of Jesus by the way we love one another!

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”John 13:35

His love is The Gospel! That unfailing Love will draw me to Him and Save me!   John 12:32,  Romans 1:16-17.

We have the “assurance” of salvation when we “trust” Jesus with our lives, that’s it.  Once we trust Jesus, He, our great Heavenly Physician, will perfectly heal and restore us, thus our assurance is in Jesus, not in ourselves or our future. Salvation is Now!!  1John 5:11-13,   1 John 3:2,   John 17:3

 When I thought, “My foot slips,”
   your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. 

Psalms 94:18 

  And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Colossians 1:17  

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;

  2 Corinthians 5:14

When healthy love does not successfully emerge and instead selfishness dominates, dependency is frequently the result.

Love is doing what is good regardless of how one feels. Love is doing what is in the best interest of another and giving of oneself for another. Love is selfless. When we love, we live. When we stop loving, we die. Of course it is the infection of selfishness that is the complete opposite of true love.

Unfortunately all nature is infected with the virus of selfishness. This includes each one of us!! Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23.

Selfishness is the principle of taking, while love is the principle of giving.

And Love Is Other Centered!!  Philippians 2:1-4, 1John 4:8, John 3:16, 1Corinthians 13:5. Matthew 5:43-48, Philippians 2:5-8,12-13.

Love heals, while dependency destroys.

Love liberates, while dependency always seeks to control.

Love gives, while dependency constantly takes.

Love is fearless, while dependency is fear-ridden.

Love is interested in another, while dependency focuses on self.

Love is stable, while dependency wavers.

Love is orderly and reliable, while dependency is chaotic and unreliable.

Love is based on principle, while dependency is based on feelings.

Love is consistent, while dependency is inconsistent.

Love is honest and truthful, while dependency is dishonest and deceitful.

Love is patient, while dependency is impulsive.

Love is kind, while dependency is cruel.

Love is forgiving, while dependency is resentful.

Love protects, while dependency exploits.

Love sacrifices self, while dependency sacrifices others.

Love never ends, while dependency never lasts.

Love never fails, while dependency never succeeds.

“Courtesy Dr. Tim Jennings and ComeAndReason.com”

We have the “assurance” of salvation when we “trust” Jesus with our lives, that’s it.  Once we trust Jesus, He, our great Heavenly Physician, will perfectly heal and restore us, thus our assurance is in Jesus, not in ourselves or our future. Salvation is Now!!  1John 5:11-13, 1John 3:2, John 17:3

“That ye may know what is the hope of His calling …”

Remember what you are saved for – that the Son of God might be manifested in your mortal flesh. Bend the whole energy of your powers to realize your election as a child of God; rise to the occasion every time.

You cannot do anything for your salvation, but you must do something to manifest it, you must work out what God has worked in. Are you working it out with your tongue, and your brain and your nerves? If you are still the same miserable crosspatch, set on your own way, then it is a lie to say that God has saved and sanctified you.

God is the Master Engineer, He allows the difficulties to come in order to see if you can vault over them properly – “By my God have I leaped over a wall.” God will never shield you from any of the requirements of a son or daughter of His. Peter says – “Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you.” Rise to the occasion; do the thing. It does not matter how it hurts as long as it gives God the chance to manifest Him self in your mortal flesh.

May God not find the whine in us any more, but may He find us full of spiritual pluck and athleticism, ready to face anything He brings. We have to exercise ourselves in order that the Son of God may be manifested in our mortal flesh. God never has museums. The only aim of the life is that the Son of God may be manifested, and all dictation to God vanishes. Our Lord never dictated to His Father, and we are not here to dictate to God; we are here to submit to His will so that He may work through us what He wants. When we realize this, He will make us broken bread and poured out wine to feed and nourish others.

Post By April Motl

Mother’s day is today and for many the day is full of joy and celebration.  Still, there are those who might have a few mixed emotions on this holiday.  The idyllic imagery of motherhood often doesn’t match up with the reality of life — the reality that the relationships involved with motherhood are often far more complicated than we would wish.

The sting of emptiness.  Mother’s day can be hard for those without children, those who have birthed children but the children have since been adopted, those who have buried their children and those who have experienced abortion.  The emptiness can sting our hearts as we watch happy families celebrating their beloved mommies, and we feel painfully left out. We can journey into the dark hallway of “why me?”

While it may sound simplistic, God fills empty places.  I have personally watched Him reach through holes in my life to touch others with hope and healing.  And I have seen Him put broken pieces back together in ways that simply took my breath away.  He sees your hurt and He cares. (1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 145:16, Isaiah 54:1)

Mistakes Made.  Then there are those who are mothers, but perhaps have not been able to embrace the task with excellence.  Sometimes life’s circumstances and baggage pull women’s hearts in ways that make them unable to give love, attention or care to their little ones.

God’s mercies are new every morning! Ask God and your family for forgiveness. Then walk in the Lord’s grace. Don’t be afraid to ask for help in your high calling as a mom. Find someone who can mentor and encourage you as you seek to remedy your past mistakes. (Lamentations 3:22-23, James 5:16, Titus 2:3-5)

The sorrow over estranged or rebellious children.  Many parents struggle under the heaviness of heart that accompanies children who have gone astray.  I have watched women who have been successful in every other area of life become utterly paralyzed with grief because of a grown child’s drug addiction, abandonment of their family or other hurtful choices.  A mom recently told me that after her son had an affair and consequently divorced his wife, she felt as if he had been unfaithful to her as well and the entire family, not just his wife.

Many grandparents are raising their grandkids because their own children have been unable to do so.  My husband and I are deeply grateful for the ways our grandparents stepped in to fill in the gap for our parents.  And while there is great good that come from such a situation, it isn’t without grief for those grandparents who long to see their own children making healthy choices.

In these situations, remember: God is sovereign. He turns the hearts of kings, so keep praying! Know that the Lord understands your sorrow because He has watched with grief as His children rebelled against Him. Nothing is too hard for Him, so hang onto hope that your children will one day walk with their Lord. After all, if you aren’t praying and believing for them, who is? (Proverbs 21:1, Isaiah 1:2, Jeremiah 32:27)

The sadness over a mother who wasn’t a mom.  I heard a comedian making light of this topic. He was joking about how as a good son you are supposed to get your mom a card for Mother’s Day, but if she really wasn’t much of a mom, how do you find a card that doesn’t rub it in or just straight out lie? While the routine was funny, the reality of it isn’t. I know kids who have been left on street corners by their mom, or dumped with strangers. The pain from abandonment, rejection, and abuse can affect you long into adulthood.

God is big enough for the hurt and disappointment, and His love can heal any mistakes our parents might have made.  These verses have meant a great deal to my heart over the years: Psalm 27:10, Isaiah 49:15-16, Jeremiah 31:3, 2 Corinthians 6:18.

The grief over a mom who has passed away.  Mother’s Day is hard for those who are missing their moms. No one can replace her, and Mother’s Day is a keen reminder of her absence.

Jesus’ response to the grief over the death of a loved one was to cry (John 11:35). He has compassion on our sorrow!  Death wasn’t part of His original design. He doesn’t like it anymore than you do!  He has, however, not left us without hope! We have hope for life in heaven with Him and our family of believers.

Give your grief over to the Lord (Psalm 147:3, Psalm 116:15, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52).  Also, if you are missing your mom, there just might be a mother out there who is grieving over a child.  Pray for the Lord to use you in the midst of your pain — you might be surprised at what He does!

At the end of the day, we have to trust that our loving and sovereign Lord has something for our good and His glory planned for us.  We don’t get to pick our moms, and we don’t get to pick our kids. None of us are perfect, so we are guaranteed to bump into each other a bit. We can choose to be disappointed and bitter with life’s lot, or we can hang on to hope that God is up to something good. We can fall on our knees and ask God to do a new work in us so that we might be godly moms and women from this day forward.

Regardless of our mistakes or the mistakes our moms made, God’s grace is big enough to cover it all — and that is definitely worth celebrating!

April Motl and her husband, Eric, minister at their church in Southern California where he is a pastor on staff.  April is the founder of In His Eyes Ministries; a teaching ministry devoted to helping women see their life from God’s perspective. For more information about the ministry visit www.InHisEyesMinistries.com.

Daily Deeds of Kindness

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16

In the final days of Jesus’ life, he shared a meal with his friends Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. Within the week he would feel the sting of the Roman whip, the point of the thorny crown, and the iron of the executioner’s nail. But on this evening, he felt the love of three friends.

For Mary, however, giving the dinner was not enough. “Mary came in with a jar of very expensive aromatic oils, anointed and massaged Jesus’ feet, and then wiped them with her hair. The fragrance of the oils filled the house” (John 12:3). . . .

Judas criticized the deed as wasteful. Not Jesus. He received the gesture as an extravagant demonstration of love, a friend surrendering her most treasured gift. As Jesus hung on the cross, we wonder, Did he detect the fragrance on his skin?

Follow Mary’s example.

There is an elderly man in your community who just lost his wife. An hour of your time would mean the world to him.

Some kids in your city have no dad. No father takes them to movies or baseball games. Maybe you can. They can’t pay you back. They can’t even afford the popcorn or sodas. But they’ll smile like a cantaloupe slice at your kindness.

Or how about this one? Down the hall from your bedroom is a person who shares your last name. Shock that person with kindness. Something outlandish. Your homework done with no complaints. Coffee served before he awakens. A love letter written to her for no special reason. Alabaster poured, just because.

Daily do a deed for which you cannot be repaid.

—from Great Day Every Day

Precious Savior, we pass people every day who need a demonstration of your love. May we search for ways to show extravagant gestures of gracious love, and outlandish acts of kindness. Make us people who set a goal of doing daily deeds for which we cannot be repaid. Set our hearts on fire for people who do not know you. Consume us with compassion for the desperate and downtrodden. Let us pour our lives out in love . . . just because, amen.

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart…
I Peter 1:22

 Thanks Dick Duerksen

What does the moon do? She generates no light. Contrary to the lyrics of the song, this harvest moon cannot shine on. Apart from the sun, the moon is nothing more than a pitch-black, pockmarked rock. But properly positioned, the moon beams. Let her do what she was made to do, and a clod of dirt becomes a source of inspiration, yea, verily, romance. The moon reflects the greater light.

And she’s happy to do so! You never hear the moon complaining. She makes no waves about making waves. Let the cow jump over her or astronauts step on her; she never objects. Even though sunning is accepted while mooning is the butt of bad jokes, you won’t hear ol’ Cheeseface grumble. The moon is at peace in her place. And because she is, soft light touches a dark earth.

What would happen if we accepted our place as Son reflectors?

Such a shift comes so stubbornly, however. We’ve been demanding our way and stamping our feet since infancy. Aren’t we all born with a default drive set on selfishness? I want a spouse who makes me happy and coworkers who always ask my opinion. I want weather that suits me and traffic that helps me and a government that serves me. It is all about me. . . .

How can we be bumped off self-center? . . . We move from me-focus to God-focus by pondering him. Witnessing him. Following the counsel of the apostle Paul: “Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, [we] are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18 KJV).

Beholding him changes us.

—originally from It’s Not About Me

O Lord, change our focus from a me-focus to a God-focus. Work your will in our lives that we might be instruments to do your work and to tell others of your great love. Let our lives reflect your holiness through thick and thin. Help us live in pursuit of what you want rather than what we want. May we keep a firm grip on our faith no matter what hard times come our way. In all we do, may we honor you, amen. 

Sing praise to the Lord, . . . and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
Psalm 30:4

 A Must Read By Pastor Dennis Smith!!

The baptism of the Holy Spirit and fellowship groups go hand in hand.  Both are necessary for the Christian to grow into the fullness of Christ.  The baptism of the Holy Spirit is essential for the core members of a fellowship group in order for the group to function as God intends.  We see this clearly illustrated in the experience of Christ and the disciples.  The 12 disciples were in a very close personal, group relationship with Christ and one another for three and a half years.  Yet we find them bickering among themselves on the way to the Passover supper just before Christ was to be taken by the mob and ultimately crucified:

“But there was also rivalry among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest” (Luke 22:24).

They had not yet attained the level of loving, committed fellowship with God or each other during those years.  Simply being a part of a fellowship group, of which Christ was the leader, was not enough to bring about the changes necessary for them to grow up into the fullness of Christ.  Later, we find that they were changed dramatically.  What made the difference?  Their receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost made the difference.  From that day forward they, and all others who were present, entered into the genuine Christian fellowship that God desires every believer to experience:

“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).  “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.  And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (verses 46, 47).

The early church’s fellowship way of doing church cannot happen during the traditional Sabbath morning worship service because of the interrelational dynamics required between Spirit-filled believers.  The only way this kind of fellowship experience can happen is in small Christian fellowship groups.  The traditional Sabbath worship service is important.  The point is, that alone is not enough.

The importance of the Spirit-filled believers fellowshipping together in small groups is demonstrated by two illustrations.  Paul gives us one illustration of the necessity of a continued living connection between believers in his first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 12.  He uses the analogy of the human body to describe the church and its members.  He points out how necessary it is for each body part to minister to the body.  Spirit-filled believers need one another.  They are to minister to one another just as your heart, right hand, eyes, etc., minister to the other parts of your body.  From this analogy it is evident that it is necessary for each body part to remain in close, living connection with the other body parts.  It is the home fellowship groups that enable the Spirit-baptized believer to keep a close, living connection with the body of Christ, which enables members of the body to minister to one another.

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.  But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as he wills.  For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ” (1 Cor. 12:7-12).

Paul also speaks about the body of Christ in Ephesians 4:11-16.

Another illustration of the importance of home fellowship groups can be seen around any campfire.  Think for a moment of a time when you were sitting around a campfire and watching the embers burn.  In order to keep the fire going it was important that you kept the embers close together and occasionally put on new wood.  If a burning ember became separated from the other burning embers it would soon lose its fire and go out.  This clearly illustrates the importance of close Christian fellowship.  In order for the Spirit-baptized believer to keep the “fire” from going out in his life, he needs not only to continually ask God for the Spirit’s infilling (Eph. 5:18), but he must also continually keep in fellowship with other Spirit-filled believers.

 Visit Pastor Dennis Smith’s Website To Learn More

   Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.  Matthew 25:40

John 12:32

Post By Pastor Dennis Smith

Please visit Pastor Smith’s Website.

God has given us many promises in the Bible to meet our every need.  Both the Old and New Testaments have outstanding examples of God’s people claiming the promises of His Word when facing difficulties.

One of my first exposures to the Bible’s teaching on prayer was in The ABC’s of Bible Prayer; a book by Glenn Coon.  I learned the concept of claiming God’s promises in prayer as a young Christian, and it was proved to be a great blessing throughout my life and ministry.  The prayer formula is simple:

Ask – “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”  (Matt. 7:7)

Believe – “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”  (Mark 11:24)

Claim the promise with thanksgiving before any answer is seen – “And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.  And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.’ Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’”  (John 11:41-43)

In these verses we see that Jesus thanked the Father for hearing and answering His prayer before there was evidence of it being answered.

God’s promises are sure.  We can be confident that God will do what He says:

“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent.  Has He said, and will He not do it?  Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”  (Num. 23:19)

And He can do what He promises:

“Ah, Lord God!  Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm.  There is nothing too hard for You.”  (Jer. 32:17)

Just as the oak tree is in the acorn, so is the fulfillment of God’s promise in the promise itself when claimed by faith.  Concerning the promises of God’s Word, Ellen White writes:

“In every command and in every promise of the Word of God is the power, the very life of God, by which the command may be fulfilled and the Promise realized.”  (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 38)

God’s power and very life are contained in the promises of the Bible.  Nothing can stand in the way of His promises being fulfilled when we claim them by faith in persevering prayer.

In 2 Chronicles 20:6-12 we find a marvelous prayer model of claiming God’s promises.  Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, was facing an imminent invasion by a confederacy of armies.  He had made preparation for such a crisis by building up Judah’s army and defenses.  He had more than 1 million well-trained men ready for battle.  However, when the threat became known to the king, his first response was not to look to his preparations for war, but rather look to the Lord.

When we face problems in life, our response should be the same – look to the Lord first.  This doesn’t mean that we don’t do what we can to meet whatever situation may arise.  The danger is that we have the tendency to go immediately to our human resources for help and deliverance.  Our mind often begins formulating ways to solve the problem rather than turning to God first.  Jehoshaphat’s response is a good example for us to follow.

This prayer reveals five steps for victoriously praying for the promises of God:

1. The king began by praising God’s attributes, especially those related to the problem he was facing (verse 6).  He recalled that God rules over all the kingdoms of the nations, that “power and might” are in His hand, and that no one can withstand Him.
2. The king recalled past victories, similar to the present victory Judah needed (verse 7). Recalling God’s provision in the past, as related to our present need, reminds us of God’s faithfulness and builds our faith.
3. He stated in prayer a promise God had made to His people in the past – a promise related to the problem he was facing (verses 8, 9).
4. Jehoshaphat then stated the problem (verses 10-12).
5. He praised God before any evidence of victory was seen (verses 18, 19).

Recently I was thanking the Father for his mercy.  And I began listing the sins he’d forgiven.  “Remember the time I…” But I stopped.  Something was wrong.  It didn’t fit.
Does he remember?

Then I remembered.  I remembered his words in Hebrews 8:12: “And I will remember their sins no more.”  Wow!

God doesn’t just forgive, he forgets.  He erases the board.  He destroys the evidence. He burns the microfilm.  He clears the computer.  He doesn’t remember!

No, he doesn’t, but I do, you do.  That horrid lie.  The time you exploded in anger.  That date.  That jealousy.  That habit.  Spiteful specters that slyly suggest, “Are you really forgiven?”

Do you think God was teasing when he said, “I will remember your sins no more?”  Of course you don’t.  You and I just need an occasional reminder of God’s nature.  His
forgetful nature!

Pastor Dennis Smith

Righteousness by Faith

 Righteousness by faith is simply looking to Jesus to manifest His righteous life of victory in our life.  God wants us to look to Christ for victory, not to ourselves:

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:1, 2).

This is true righteousness by faith and is God’s will for every Christian.  Oswald Chambers, a well-known Christian author, clearly presented this wonderful truth in the July 23 reading of his daily devotional, My Utmost for His Highest:

“But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us . . . sanctification” (1 Cor. 1:30).

 The Life Side

The most wonderful secret of living a holy life does not lie in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfect qualities of Jesus exhibit themselves in my human flesh.  Sanctification is ‘Christ in you . . . ‘ (Col. 1:27).  It is His wonderful life that is imparted to me in sanctification – imparted by faith as a sovereign gift of God’s grace.  Am I willing for God to make sanctification as real in me as it is in His Word?

“Sanctification means the impartation of the holy qualities of Jesus Christ to me.  It is the gift of His patience, love, holiness, faith, purity, and godliness that is exhibited in and through every sanctified soul.  Sanctification is not drawing from Jesus the power to be holy – it is from Jesus the very holiness that was exhibited in Him, and that He now exhibits in me.  Sanctification is an impartation, not an imitation.  Imitation is something altogether different.  The perfection of everything is in Jesus Christ, and the mystery of sanctification is that all the perfect qualities of Jesus are at my disposal.  Consequently, I slowly but surely begin to live a life of inexpressible order, soundness, and holiness –‘ . . . kept by the power of God . . . ‘ (1 Peter 1:5).”

Do you see the beauty of this truth?  Our part is to look to Jesus in trusting faith, believing God’s promise to manifest Christ and His righteousness in us.  Our only part is to choose to let this happen and believe it will happen.  When unrighteous desire and temptations come, we are not to fight against them.  We are to turn to Christ and to ask Him to manifest His own righteousness (Heb. 12: 1, 2).  Then we are to wait in faith, believing He will do it.

Then when Jesus returns we will be able to stand in the very presence of Christ in all His glory and not be consumed.  This is God’s promise to His children, and it will be fulfilled as we learn to look to Jesus in faith for this marvelous manifestation of Himself in us:

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24).

We have the “assurance” of salvation when we “trust” Jesus with our lives, that’s it.  Once we trust Jesus, He, our great Heavenly Physician, will perfectly heal and restore us, thus our assurance is in Jesus, not in ourselves or our future. Salvation is Now!!  1John 5:11-13,   1 John 3:2,   John 17:3

God’s Character: Our Assurance

   God’s nature doesn’t necessitate His forgiveness of sin, as if that were His job.  Nor is forgiveness the suspension of God’s justice, as if His justice were severe and harsh.  Doubts about our eternal security are rooted in a misconception of God’s character—in our failure to grasp the wondrous blend of His justice and mercy, as revealed by God to Moses in Exodus 34:6,7.  It was this harmony of God’s attributes that Israel’s prophets and psalmists praised, as can be seen in Joel 2:13; Nehemiah 9:31; Jonah 4:2; Psalms 85:10, 86:15; 103:8; 145:8.   God intended that the society of His covenant people reflect His divine character by placing justice and mercy on equal terms (see Exodus. 22:25-27).

No psalm reflects more accurately the tension repentant believers feel about their standing before God than does Psalm 130:1-8 .  Here the psalmist cries “out of the depths” to the God of Israel.  And here he receives assurance:

If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?  But with

you there is forgiveness, therefore you are feared… O Israel, put your

hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full

redemption.  He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins. Psalms 130:3,4,7,8.

A troubled conscience can hear no greater assurance than these inspired words of comfort.  Many believers have divorced mercy from justice.  But in the biblical revelation of God’s nature—for example, in Exodus 34:6,7 and Psalm 85:10—“God’s love has been expressed in His justice no less than in His mercy.  Justice is the foundation of His throne, and the fruit of His love.”  This insight does not mean that mercy destroys justice; instead, it means that both are the fruits of God’s holy love.  Such a harmony of God’s attributes exceeds all human comprehension!  God doesn’t bestow His mercy on repentant sinners reluctantly but with delight and with “full redemption” Isa. 55:7,  Ps. 130:7.

Charles H. Spurgeon unfolds this mercy in its great variety:

“Here is mercy that receives sinners, mercy that restores backsliders, mercy that keeps believers.  Here is mercy that pardons sin, that introduces to the enjoyment of all gospel privileges, and that blesses the praying soul far beyond its expectations.  With the Lord there is mercy, and he loves to display it, he is ready to impart it, he has determined to exalt and to glorify it”.

Leslie C. Allen explains the basis of Christian assurance of salvation as follows; “For the Christian this grace is grounded not only in a heart of love but in its disclosure through the death of Jesus as the objective basis of divine deliverance.”  Jesus demonstrated this holy love and mercy of His Father in His own life and death.  He showed that God does not demand justice without mercy, or no one would be saved (see Ps. 143.2).  He assured every repentant believer that His self-sacrifice was an all-sufficient ransom for all humankind (Mark 10:45; 1 Tim. 2:6).

GOD IS LOVE!! 1 John 4:8,15,16

We have the “assurance” of salvation when we “trust” Jesus with our lives, that’s it.  Once we trust Jesus, He, our great Heavenly Physician, will perfectly heal and restore us, thus our assurance is in Jesus, not in ourselves or our future. Salvation is Now!!  1John 5:11-13,   1 John 3:2,   John 17:3

It is all Christ and nothing that we “do” in the area of putting forth effort.  We simply believe what God says. Praise God we don’t have to save ourselves.

She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.  Matthew 1:21, Luke 2:11, John 3:16,  Romans 10:9

Trusting In Jesus: John 11:26: You Never Die, Hebrews 4:3,10-12                         But You Must Continue Trusting In Jesus!

 It’s All About My Relationship!!  Am I Trusting In Jesus? John 17:3

The very foundation of Salvation is grounded in the realization that God’s unmerited love toward us is greater than any other power— Including death!!      Romans 8:35-39, Ephesians 3:14-21

Sin Is Not Trusting In Jesus

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.  And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me.  John 16:7-9

There Is Reason For Encouragement!!

1. Romans 1:16-17,20
2. Colossians 1:26-27,Philippians 2:12-13
3. Matthew 24:14, Revelation 14:6
4. Romans 3:21-22,Ephesians 2:8-9,Philippians 2:12-13
5. John 3:16-17,Acts16: 30-31,Romans 10:9 ,Romans 5:1-5,6-8,9-11,20-21
6. John 15:5,9-17,John 17:2,23
7. 1John 2:28
8. 1Corinthians 1:18,21-25,29-30, 1Corinthians2:2,9,16
9. Romans 5:1-14,Romans 5:15-19 Romans 5:20-21

Full Assurance By Faith In Jesus Alone!!

1. Hebrews 4:14-16
2. Hebrews 9:11-15,27-28
3. Hebrews 10:4,10,11-20,22-25
4. Hebrews 1:9,Hebrews 10:34-39

For we continue to share in all that Christ has for us so long as we steadily maintain until the end the trust with which we began.  Hebrews 3:14 Phillips

By Max Lucado

God will always be the same!  No one else will.

Lovers call you today and scorn you tomorrow.  Companies follow pay raises with pink slips.  Friends applaud you when you drive a classic and dismiss you when you drive a dud.

Not God.  God is always the same.  James 1:17 says, “With God, there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

Catch God in a bad mood?  Won’t happen.  Can your fear exhaust his grace?  A sardine will swallow the Atlantic first.  Do you think he’s given up on you?  Wrong!  Did he not make a promise to you?  What he says he will do, he does.  What he promises, he makes come true.  God is not a human being, and he will not lie.

God is never sullen or sour, sulking or stressed.  His strength, truth, ways, and love never change.  He is the same yesterday and today and forever!

Please Explore Pastor Dennis Smith’s Website

There are things we can do that will grieve the Spirit.  If we do not daily seek Him and cooperate in following where He leads us, our Christian experience will weaken.

God doesn’t force.  When we receive the baptism of the Spirit, He will have a greater impact in our life.  We will feel His prompting more strongly.  He will be daily putting the desire in our heart to obey God.  He will call us to study God’s Word and to pray more.  The Spirit will cause us to begin loving righteousness and hating sin.  However, we are always free to disregard His prompting.  When we do this we begin the process of “grieving,” or “quenching,” the Spirit.  Paul gives practical advice in many portions of Scripture on how to avoid doing this.  These practical counsels to the believer on living the Christian life are intended to help us maintain the fullness of the Spirit in our lives.  Two examples of such counsel are found in the following Bible verses:

“And that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness.  Therefore, putting away lying, each one speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.  ‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.  Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.  And be kind to one another, tenderhearted forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph. 4:24-32).

“Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.  See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thess. 5:14-19).

Paul knew that the Spirit of God dwelling in believers would be prompting them to do the things listed in these verses.  If we refuse to yield to His prompting, though, we will be in danger of grieving and quenching the Spirit.

If you find that you have grieved the Spirit, don’t become discouraged!  Ask God to forgive you, and He will (1 John 1:9).  Then ask God in faith to fill you anew with His Spirit, and He will do that, too (Luke 11:13).

David knew God’s mercy.  He had committed the sins of adultery and murder.  He had walked away from the prompting of God’s Spirit in his life when he committed these terrible acts.  Yet when he was convicted of his sin by the Spirit, he turned to God in prayer.  Note especially these words:

“Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with Your generous Spirit” (Ps. 51:9-12).

When we find that we’ve been slipping away from God we must not let another moment go by without confessing our sin, accepting God’s forgiveness, and claiming the promise of the renewing of the Spirit in our lives just as David did.  Then we will be strengthened once again in the “inner” man to be victorious over Satan:

“That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:16-19).

We serve a wonderful God.  When we have failed Him, let us remember:

“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in mercy.  He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever.  He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.  For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.  As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him” (Ps. 103:8-13).