"Freely you have received, freely give....Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops." (From another "Great Commission" in Matthew 10)
Basically, you and I have salvation in Jesus Christ only because of Jesus Christ. While it "cost" us nothing, it cost Jesus everything, "I lay down My life for the sheep." Jesus' Blood, "cleanses me from all sin." This devotional does not; my praying does not; my mission work does not; my anything does not, "Freely you have received, freely give."
This Gospel, Who is Jesus Christ, is a gift, and a gift is just received, not worked for, prayed for, worhipped for, not "loved" for. I say this because Jesus tells us in our text that all we have which is worth having is, "Freely you have received." Now, "freely give." People do not come to Jesus and "get saved" by giving up. They "get saved" by giving in. No one, none of us, no matter what the sin, can give up sin until they give in to Jesus. Salvation "begins" with Repentance, i.e., I am wrong, Lord Jesus. Only You are right. I receive Your Rightness, Forgiveness, Deliverance, "accepted in the Beloved." Integral to this is then, as the song says, "Come into my heart, Lord Jesus."
I hope you received that great word which I sent earlier from Pawel Cieslar, a pastor in Poland. Yesterday's devotional and his words are a continual call to repentance in me. We are commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ to take this Wonderful Good News about Jesus Christ and, "Whatever I tell you in the dark, "speak in the light;...preach on the housetops." When we obey these Words of Jesus, when we pray, worship, obey fervently, we will see what many of us have seen before, "And there was great joy in that city." (Acts 8:8)
Father, in Jesus' Name, I repent of accepting that which You do not. Renew me, Holy Spirit. Amen.
*********************
* Please remember Sarah and me in your prayers for our visit to Israel, April 17-24. Please pray for health, guidance, and obedience to His Words.
* So far we have 8 coming to the FHMP Briefing, June 2. Please let me know if you will be attending. Details later.
Basically, you and I have salvation in Jesus Christ only because of Jesus Christ. While it "cost" us nothing, it cost Jesus everything, "I lay down My life for the sheep." Jesus' Blood, "cleanses me from all sin." This devotional does not; my praying does not; my mission work does not; my anything does not, "Freely you have received, freely give."
This Gospel, Who is Jesus Christ, is a gift, and a gift is just received, not worked for, prayed for, worhipped for, not "loved" for. I say this because Jesus tells us in our text that all we have which is worth having is, "Freely you have received." Now, "freely give." People do not come to Jesus and "get saved" by giving up. They "get saved" by giving in. No one, none of us, no matter what the sin, can give up sin until they give in to Jesus. Salvation "begins" with Repentance, i.e., I am wrong, Lord Jesus. Only You are right. I receive Your Rightness, Forgiveness, Deliverance, "accepted in the Beloved." Integral to this is then, as the song says, "Come into my heart, Lord Jesus."
I hope you received that great word which I sent earlier from Pawel Cieslar, a pastor in Poland. Yesterday's devotional and his words are a continual call to repentance in me. We are commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ to take this Wonderful Good News about Jesus Christ and, "Whatever I tell you in the dark, "speak in the light;...preach on the housetops." When we obey these Words of Jesus, when we pray, worship, obey fervently, we will see what many of us have seen before, "And there was great joy in that city." (Acts 8:8)
Father, in Jesus' Name, I repent of accepting that which You do not. Renew me, Holy Spirit. Amen.
*********************
* Please remember Sarah and me in your prayers for our visit to Israel, April 17-24. Please pray for health, guidance, and obedience to His Words.
* So far we have 8 coming to the FHMP Briefing, June 2. Please let me know if you will be attending. Details later.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
