Turning to Jesus in our hour of need!
|
God’s Instructions from the Operations Manual (The Bible): 1 Peter 5:5-11 5 In the same way, younger people should be willing to be under older people. And all of you should be very humble with each other. 6 Be humble under God’s powerful hand so he will lift you up when the right time comes. 7 Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 8 Control yourselves and be careful! The devil, your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to eat.9 Refuse to give in to him, by standing strong in your faith. You know that your Christian family all over the world is having the same kinds of suffering. 10 And after you suffer for a short time, God, who gives all grace, will make everything right. He will make you strong and support you and keep you from falling. He called you to share in his glory in Christ, a glory that will continue forever.11 All power is his forever and ever. Amen. |
Following my message, there is another really good message (below) about the awesome love which God has for each one of us.
I think you all will agree with me that there are certain experiences that are common to all men and women; and it has been my experience that in the process of our pilgrimage through this life, that troubles and tribulations happen to every person, as everyone in some shape or fashion has been adversely affected by this estrangement that has occurred between each one of us, and our Creator.
This estrangement and separation from God happened long ago, in the Garden of Eden, when our original parents Adam and Eve elected to follow another path, and of their own free will and volition, elected to disobeyed God’s command; with the consequence that ever since that time, all those many years ago, mankind has had to live with a curse, and has been floundering on the shores of life, like fish out of water.
You see, the truth is we all are totally unprepared for this life without that connection with God!
The reason is, we are ALL created to have communion with God, and if you want to understand exactly what God’s purpose and plan is for your life, then you have but to look at the life of Jesus Christ, which in Hebrew is translated: Yeshua Ha’Mashiach —meaning “Saviour, the Messiah“. [Note: the word Messiah means Anointed One; and another name also given in scripture for the Messiah (see Isa 7:14) is “Emanuel,” meaning “God with us!“]
For some people, having never had an introduction nor encounter with their Creator, they struggle by themselves, and often lose hope under the pressure, not having understood that there is a God in heaven, who longs to hear from them, and to touch their lives.
This one thing is true of all of us, and that is we all are the product of our past education and upbringing; and such as it is, whatever that may have been to each one of us, it has molded and shaped the character of the person we are today.
Consequently we each have a foundation upon which we have built our lives, which for each of us is our past experience and upbringing; and how solid our foundation is, while under stress, when we are tested, will depend on the sort of materials that went into building our individual foundation.
For the Believer, it is so important that we center our lives in Jesus and in God’s Word, and that when life’s problems come knocking at our door, as they most certainly will, that we go to our Rock, and that we do what our Life Manual (the Bible) says; with one very important verse to begin with being the one above, 1 Peter 5:7.
For others, of those who would call themselves either atheist or agnostic, their foundation is built upon the shifting sands of whatever belief system they have chosen, and have attached themselves to; and since they don’t believe in any absolutes in life (and have therefore ruled out God and the Bible), their belief system is shaped by the ever changing whims of the culture they live in, and also this “Politically Correct” nonsense, that seems to change with every new generation.
For many of these atheists and agnostics, you will often hear them say that, “God is only a crutch for the weak” as they pride themselves as being self-sufficient, and without need of any outside support.
I’ve even had people tell me, “I’ve got my job, and I make all the money I need… what do I need God for?“
Well all I can say is we each will sooner or later come to a place in our life where our self-sufficiency, our talents and abilities; our bank accounts, our jobs and our business are just not enough. And every person eventually comes to a place in their life where they recognize they need a power outside of themselves!
In fact, I have found in my own life that I need that POWER 24/7, 365 days every year!
Listen up folks, this is the reality that we ALL must face, and that many people are even afraid to look at; and that is, every beat of our heart and even the very next breath that we take, all of it is outside of our control; and each beat and each breath is only by God’s grace; and this truth also applies to ALL of us equally… that tomorrow is guaranteed to no man! We each one day will die… and then what?
Then enters the Gospel Message, which is God’s solution to bring ALL of His estranged children home; and this invitation is extended to every individual, regardless of race, color, or ethnicity… and that message is that God is in love with ALL of us!
In fact the Bible tell us in (Psalms 139) that there isn’t a day or moment that goes by, that we are not on God’s mind, and in His heart!
Our problem is, and this is where the road home begins… we must first be born-again!
Here’s the deal, as the Bible teaches: if you are only born once, through natural birth, then you will die twice; but if you are born twice, once through natural birth, and once again spiritually, through a spiritual birth, then you will only die once!
It is because of this disconnect, that we all have from God, because of sin, that God has provided us a door to reinitiate our fellowship and communion with Himself; but that Door is found only in the propitious work and Blood of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, on Calvary’s cross; whose sacrifice, there, paid our penalty in full, for ALL our trespasses and sins against God, past, present, and future… and folks, there is no other way!!!
The message of the Bible, on this subject, is very clear, for anyone who will take the time to read it, and that is “No one gets into heaven without a Saviour, without them making that Saviour Lord of his or her life; and also this point is most important that you understand, and that is there is only one name under heaven whereby any of us may be saved, and that is ONLY through Jesus Christ!
For more information on how to initiate your relationship with God, and how to be Born-again, please click here: http://needhim.org/.
Don’t you leave home without Him!!!
Shalom,
Skip Barland
Centered in Jesus!
From: FullnessOnLine [mailto:fcm@fullnessonline.ccsend.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2010 4:18 AM
To: theskipper@cox.net
Subject: What The Lord Is Saying Today
 June 17, 2010. You have no idea how much I love you. The first covenant was sealed with the blood of animals. But that covenant has been superseded by a new covenant, a second one, sealed by the blood of Jesus in his death on the cross for the sins of all mankind. This was the highest price I could pay to redeem you and give you the benefits of the second and eternal covenant that can never be broken by you or Me. Think about that and know I love you with a love that no man fully knows. When you received Christ as your personal Savior, you received all my love at that time because you now have Jesus as My word living in you. Do you see and understand?
|
SB SALT AND LIGHT MINISTRIES 